Dr. Paul McGowan:

We have been asked questions about conservation, which will be the subject of a future discussion at this committee, as I understand it. We will submit proposals in that regard. That answers the fourth question.

We support open data in principle. We support the idea that data could be made available for research purposes by Irish Water, the CER, the Environmental Protection Agency or any other independent body.

We have not undertaken any specific international research on consumption. The CER is a member of WAREG, which is a body of water regulators across Europe. We gather experience about research that has been undertaken elsewhere through WAREG and then determine what might be done in Ireland. In our first price control, we gave Irish Water a research and innovation fund to enable it to approach us with ideas for our consideration regarding innovation and research projects that could be undertaken. We have carried this into our second price control. We have set aside a €4 million fund specifically to allow innovation and research projects to be initiated. The future role of the Environmental Protection Agency is a matter for the agency.