Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Martin for his question. I take full responsibility on behalf of the Government for the policy decision to shift from 34 individual local authorities providing this service to a single utility doing so, with a saving of €1.1 billion over the next seven years in operating costs, which will be in the interests of the Irish people, business, taxpayer and our country in the context of achieving the highest standards and the delivery of an efficient supply of water for consumers and business. Yes, I was aware of the estimated overall cost of the setting up of Irish Water at €180 million last year.

I want to be very clear about this. The situation as outlined by Deputy Martin is not as I would see it. This is a public utility in public ownership. Therefore, there is nothing that should be secret about it and there is nothing that will be secret about it – the Deputy may smile – because in that sense the question of the Freedom of Information Act was already dealt with by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he spoke on the Bill previously. Of course this will be subject to the full rigours of freedom of information, as it should be, because it involves the Irish taxpayer and the Irish people.

Second, in the matter, as I understand it, of a parliamentary question which was to have been sent to Irish Water, it did not go, and the Department has apparently apologised for that. In any event Irish Water will be the subject of proper responses to parliamentary questions in this House by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Deputies can be clear on that.

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