Mr. Jerry Grant:

I am happy to report that the contractor is liable for the leaks he causes through his own negligence, which is a very small percentage of the total number of leaks. As the Deputy is aware, meters are being fitted to existing service pipes, some of which are in poor condition and many are quite old. When the contractors dig down into the ground, they often find that the connections to the main are corroded and already leaking. These leaks are reported to the local authorities which fix them. During 2013 the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government provided funds for local authorities to cover the cost of this. In 2014 Irish Water will cover these costs.