Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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No. 3 on the agenda is the Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016. Under the Water Services Act 2014, a revised domestic public water charging system commenced on 1 January 2015. The Bill provides for the suspension of domestic water charges for nine months, from 1 April to 31 December 2016, to provide time for an extensive deliberative process to be undertaken on the funding of domestic water services. The Government will establish an expert commission which will make recommendations on a sustainable long-term funding model for the delivery of domestic water and wastewater services by Irish Water. An Oireachtas committee on the funding of domestic water services will then consider these recommendations and make its own. The Oireachtas will consider and vote on these recommendations.

I welcome the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, and his officials from his Department.

It is my intention that the committee will conclude its consideration of the Bill on Committee Stage this afternoon. Is that agreed? Agreed. I refer members to the grouping of amendments for the purposes of the debate.