Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are teasing out some answers, which I welcome. The Minister mentioned the creation of 1,600 jobs in installing meters; a couple of weeks ago he mentioned the creation of 400 jobs in the call centre. However, there is no commitment for those employed by local authorities in this area, other than a statement that many of them have sought jobs with Irish Water. As the consultations on service level agreements are not yet complete, we cannot give certainty to those who have not applied about what their role will be in the future.

Despite the aspiration that 25% of the people taken on to install water meters will come from the live register, there is no certainty about this. It is time we were given some certainty and specifics to match the rhetoric and spin regarding the creation of jobs and so forth. When will the Minister devise a mechanism through which his Department and the Department of Social Protection will provide training programmes for people on the live register who wish to avail of the opportunities that might arise in this sector? When can they receive adequate training to have them placed on a proper register that will give them the opportunity to avail of jobs that might become available through local plumbers and contractors? The Minister said he had reduced the turnover cap from €1 million to €400,000. Did he also say he would reduce this further in order that there will be an opportunity for other local contractors and plumbers to be placed on a register?

Members on all sides of the House have asked that the Construction Contracts Bill be brought through the House and passed to ensure protection under contracts such as these. Will the Minister confirm that this legislation will be in place prior to the commencement of the programme?

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