Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions on water and one on the environment. My first question relates to the funding of the meter programme in the Estimates. My understanding is the metering programme is planned in two phases. The first is almost complete and the second includes apartment complexes and units that are more difficult to meter for a variety of reasons. I understand there is an underspend in the first phase of the current metering programme because of, shall we say, difficult-to-reach areas.

There is also some uncertainty about when the second phase is due to start. Can that capital, which in my understanding is somewhere between €50 million and €100 million between the two phases, be shifted from the metering programme to other areas of capital investment for water if either Irish Water desires it or the Department thinks that is a good thing to do?

My second question relates to the first. There are ongoing infringement proceedings under the urban waste water directive. While additional capital investment will be given to Irish Water over the period to 2021, I am interested to know where in the Estimates is the fund of how much extra the Department is directing towards capital investment to tackle this to ensure we do not end up in the European Court of Justice and having fines under those infringement proceedings.

My last question is on the environment. This came up in an informal meeting of the committee yesterday. There is some uncertainty from our point of view as a committee because the environment functions will transfer out. We do not know when. Should we assume as a committee that until such time as they are formally and legally transferred it is the responsibility of this committee to track those? Does the Minister have any indication of the notional timescale of when that will be transferred? None of us wants to take our eye off the environment ball because we think it is leaving and miss something between now and whenever it transfers to the relevant committee.