Mr. Joe McGrath:

I want to come back to those issues. I share the sense of frustration in respect of this matter. I particularly want to acknowledge Mr. Coskeran, who is a very decent gentleman and who has completed this estate to a high standard. As I have said, if we can overcome this issue regarding the DPI, there are no other issues, from Tipperary County Council's point of view, that would prevent the estate being taken in charge. I want to state that. Mr. Coskeran has completed a number of works on the estate. I want to acknowledge that, and we thank him for it.

On timeframes, an estate remains private until it is taken in charge. I take the point regarding the granting of permission in 2003. However, the first full and valid taking-in-charge application was made in 2016. We are not talking about a period from 2003 to the present. Effectively, we are talking about the period from 2016 to now. The Acting Chairman will say that is a long period. I accept that. The reality is that the position in relation to responsibility for water services changed in 2014. I am not here to point the finger of blame at anybody else. We are highlighting what we believe we can do to take responsibility for our part in respect of this matter. In fairness, the Department has also taken responsibility in the very welcome initiative it took in June. That is seeking to do exactly what the committee has asked us to do, which is bring the parties together in order to seek a resolution. I am optimistic that this will lead to something useful, and will get us through this. I cannot put a timeframe on that now, but I will give an undertaking to contact the Department in order to accelerate matters. My understanding is that the report has been completed and submitted to the Department. It is good to have that.

I take the point in respect of this matter. We find ourselves in a situation whereby this is a legacy issue that requires a number of us working together in order to work through it. I am conscious - and I hope this is acknowledged - that I have presented a very detailed report today. I have put all of the facts before the committee and outlined all the issues. We are here to take the questions. I just want to be very clear that I could have put in a two- or three-page report that would have been less than useful to the committee. I have not done that. We have given all of the details in respect of this matter. As already stated, we are not here today to point the finger of blame at anybody. We are accepting our responsibility in the process. In fairness, so are Irish Water and the Department.

The type of meeting that has been referred to can certainly be organised. As a result of today's proceedings, we will engage further with the Department. We have been doing that. We will highlight the frustration of the committee to the Department, and discuss with it and Irish Water a way of arriving at a resolution. We can look at the years that have passed in the context of the difficulties that have arisen. I want to look to the future, however, to a point where we get a resolution and where I will be in a position to bring forward a report to the elected members of Tipperary County Council in the context of taking this estate in charge. I will not be found wanting in doing that, once we can get through that issue.