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

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. This meeting stems from a previous appearance by representatives of the Environmental Protection Committee at the Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services on 15 February, the day on which the European Commission announced it was initiating a court action. This issue has been ongoing for a long time with little Oireachtas scrutiny of the underlying causes and progress or otherwise in addressing them. Members considered it important, therefore, to bring all the relevant stakeholders before the joint committee to scrutinise and highlight this issue and add to the pressure the EPA is exerting as it seeks to have these issues addressed.

I am disappointed that officials from the Department are not in attendance. The original request from members sought to have officials attend this meeting alongside representatives of the relevant organisations. The Department has key responsibilities in this area. Perhaps the matter will be rectified before the next meeting.