Mr. John Dempsey:

Deputy Catherine Murphy asked about the development levies. Local authorities have levied development charges for water service provision. To the extent that development charges have been collected by the local authorities they would be recorded in their accounts. At the point of asset transfer to Irish Water on 1 January, these charges moved to Irish Water and will have to be spent on water service provision in the local authority area in which they are collected. It will be around the middle of the year before we know the exact quantum because, first, the local authorities will have to finalise their year-end accounts to the end of 2013. We will then have to get into an agreed process between us to clarify and confirm the numbers. Essentially, that is what is happening on development charges. They have been levied for water service provision and will be spent on water service provision in the area in which they are levied.