Mr. Paul McGowan:

In regard to our role in setting costs for Irish Water, we have looked at various cost categories. As my colleague noted earlier, we have identified the company's cost of labour as high compared with that of other utilities. Our role is to set global efficiency targets for Irish Water and we are very clear about that. It is up to the company to determine how it delivers those efficiencies, whether through its management of consumables, how it uses energy or how it utilises its labour. As I explained, we do not manage Irish Water; we regulate it. We set parameters for the company but it is entirely up to management as to how it achieves those efficiency targets. We do not direct it in any way as to what salary levels should be or anything else to do with that. It would not be good practice for economic regulation. We set global targets and it is up to management to determine how it achieves those targets.