Mr. Michael McNicholas:

We can absolutely state we are providing it at a lower cost. What we cannot show is the quantum. We have looked at the benchmark heading into 2014 based on costs in 2013 and know that we are delivering it at a lower cost. We are not claiming that we are delivering it at anything less than the number the regulator is validating - the saving of €70 million to date. It is on a like-for-like basis for the 34 local authorities at the end of 2013 and based on Irish Water working with the local authorities at the end of 2016. We have made a saving of €70 million in procurement in terms of how we organise the work and overall headcount reductions.