Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The regulator will have a responsibility in legislation to have consumers' interests at the very heart of it. I could not imagine, therefore, that it would be a runaway train of cost increases. Everything will have to be tested properly, publicly and transparently.

This Bill allows the regulator to start because it has no statutory powers at the moment. I wish to reassure Deputies that in the second legislative provision we will have full, total and absolute detail on all these issues. It might be helpful if the relevant Oireachtas committee were to invite the representatives of Irish Water, within a few months of its establishment, to talk about their plans. The regulator could also be brought in as part of the accountability process. The regulator will be independent in terms of decisions but there is no reason the regulator should not be invited in to talk generally about how he sees the situation, as well as listening to what Members of the House would like to see happening. If Members consider that approach to be helpful, it is the way to go.

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