Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The reference to section 46 in amendment No. 1 is a reference to the new section 46 proposed to be inserted by amendment No. 15. These amendments are considered necessary because at present there is no provision in primary legislation to provide for ministerial approval for the making of a pension scheme by Irish Water. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of the Bord Gáis Energy group and registered under the Companies Acts.

Irish Water was formally incorporated in July 2013. Irish Water has assumed responsibility for the domestic metering programme. In July, the Government also approved the general scheme of a water services (No. 2) Bill which is being drafted by the Office of the Attorney General. The No. 2 Bill will provide for the transfer of responsibility for the provision of water services from the 34 county and city councils to Irish Water. It was originally intended to include provision for ministerial approval of a pension scheme within the second water services Bill. However, Irish Water has commenced recruiting staff to manage the delivery of the metering programme and in preparation for its future role as the water services utility it is proposed to bring forward the Irish Water superannuation provisions and include them as an amendment within this Gas Regulation Bill 2013. This will ensure we establish at the earliest possible date a statutory basis for ministerial approval of any pension scheme established by Irish Water.

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