Mr. John McCarthy:

The Irish Water system is subject to economic regulation by the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, which determines the efficient level of cost it should be allowed to incur. It meets those operating costs through charges, when they were in place, through non-domestic charges and the subvention by the public purse, which is described in my opening statement.

I will ask my colleague, Ms Graham, to say a few words on that and on the issue of the staff employment situation through the service level agreements.