Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for attending. I have a couple of questions on staffing levels, although I understand the witnesses might not have the figures to hand. Could I have an indication of the differences in staffing levels in the wastewater treatment plants between 2011 and now? Has there been a significant reduction since Irish Water was established from the position when this was managed by the local authorities? I understand that comes from the local authority side of things.

Mr. Gleeson said that when the issues happened in the Gorey treatment plant, the HSE said it was not necessary to put out a boil water notice. What was communicated to the HSE and did it indicate its reasoning at that stage as to why it did not feel it necessary to issue public warnings following the incident? There has been a great deal of discussion about the creation of a single utility and it was stated that having everything fall under Irish Water service level agreements with local authorities will no longer be the case. I recall that when Irish Water was set up, it was said that local authorities would still retain a certain capacity and that service level agreements could be in place. Will Irish Water indicate that if staff from local authorities fall under Irish Water, the management of wastewater treatment plants will at no stage be given out to private operators to manage to generate efficiencies? We know what people will say at this stage of the process but we do not know what is going to happen in ten years. Local authorities and State companies have a good way of essentially contracting out some of the core services. Can we have a guarantee that if staff come under Irish Water, there will be no contracting out to private entities of the management of the wastewater treatment plants?