Ms Maria Graham:

As the Secretary General has stated the energy regulator is now looking at the costs that Irish Water incurs, including its capital programme for the regulatory period from 1 October 2014 to the end of 2016 and a capital plan has been submitted by Irish Water, which will cover the range of issues from upgrade of the network, water conservation to addressing compliance issues both on water services, waste water services and the enhancements that are need for demographic growth and industry capacity. That plan is with the regulator to look at. The funding model that has been put in place is to capture a capital programme that covers all of those components. Clearly part of the reason for establishing Irish Water was to accelerate investment in the infrastructure and this is part of the process so that it would have access to revenue from the State as well as from third party capital markets over time to enhance the overall quantum of investment. The regulator will be looking at the matter in the round, operational, planned maintenance, capital maintenance and new capital investment.