Ms Cathy Mannion:

A lack of an out-of-hours service in six local authorities has the potential to impact on 600,000 water customers. I read about it in a newspaper. All I can do, at this point, is draw the committee's attention to the CER's consultation paper on the handbook that contains the rules Irish Water must abide by. One of the rules that we have put out for consultation is that it should endeavour to repair a leak within 12 hours and repair a major mains leak within 24 hours. I have not fully assessed the response by Irish Water to the rule but its response will answer the Deputy's question. I can come back to him once I have reviewed same.