Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 23 September 2015

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions

Non-Compliant Installations of Water Meter Boxes: Irish Water and Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

4:00 pm

Mr. Martin Vaughan:

Absolutely. I was getting to that point. Within the Water Services Act, there is provision for the Minister to issue instructions and directions to Irish Water. However, I am not aware of that having been done. Mr. O'Connor and I do not work on the water services side of the Department but that provision is there in legislation. The legislation also contains a provision for complaints from the public relating to the infrastructure and all aspects of Irish Water's remit to be made to the parent company, Ervia. Apologies, I am wrong about that - there is a provision for complaints to be made to the Commission for Energy Regulation and the commissioner can then make a direction on such matters. That is the legal framework that now pertains to water services-----