Séamus Healy (Tipperary, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

What is the source of that funding? Obviously the Public Water Forum has to be independent and to be seen to be independent both of Government and Irish Water. Is there a need for a legally independent source of funding for that organisation?

Mr. O'Brien mentioned the possibility of using local authorities as contact bodies locally. Is he aware that local authorities are prevented from dealing with questions about Irish Water from the public at the moment, by instruction of Irish Water?

My other questions are for Irish Water. Mr. Grant told us on 12 January 2017 that the water metering programme would stop yesterday, 31 January. Can he confirm that it has stopped and that contractors have been instructed to stop installing meters as of yesterday?

With regard to public engagement, I am very clear that in my experience and the experience of the vast majority of my constituency is that there is a complete lack of engagement, indeed a culture of disengagement, from Irish Water with water users generally. Why, for instance, does Irish Water not have local offices where the public can engage with the company, or at least local officials with whom the public could engage? When a pipe bursts and there is a disruption to supply, why are the public not notified as they would have been in the past by local authorities by way of radio advertisements, leaflet drops or other means? Currently the only engagement is by notification on a website. Other than that water users and householders are in the dark. In relation to planned maintenance, other entities such as ESB would notify their customers in advance. Why would Irish Water not use something like this?

Will Mr. Grant tell us why Irish Water is cutting off supply to premises without notice? Why is it cutting off supply anyway, and why is it being done without notice? Very recently in Clonmel, water users were left for between nine hours and two days when supply was switched off without any notice. It was not the first time, and indeed the local service engineer said he had made an official complaint to Irish Water on behalf of the people affected and on behalf of the county council. Why would Irish Water not put in place local offices or local officials through which or whom water users could make contact directly with Irish Water about all the issues arising.