Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The local authorities will continue to be centrally involved with Irish Water delivering wastewater as well as water services. The fragmentation of local delivery has not worked because there have been many leaks and inadequate volumes and quality of water all over the country. We have to do something different because what is happening is not working. There will be an opportunity for additional finance to come into the system from the private sector to supplement the public sector to deal with the leaks and ensure we will have a substantially enhanced and accelerated programme of investment in water and wastewater services.

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