Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We recognise the need for a world class and world standard water infrastructure and supply for households and business. People in rural Ireland already pay for their water and this is being acknowledged by those living in urban Ireland. Now that people will have to pay for the water coming though their taps, it is important that a system is set up which will deliver water to consumers as efficiently as possible and which will give value for money. It must also be able to address the identified shortcomings such as the lack of uniformity of water quality and sewage treatment, the need for investment in infrastructure, the fixing of leaks and other issues which present as a result of the ad hoc delivery of water services in this country.

It is very important to have transparency so that people can be assured that there is accountability. Irish Water will be a very large State company with €11 billion of capital assets. The company will take on the assets and liabilities of local authorities and it will potentially service 1.4 million customers. The public must be assured that there is fairness and that waste and incompetence will be avoided in the spending of taxpayers' money when Irish Water is being established. At yesterday's meeting of the joint committee on the environment, Mr. John Tierney, the chief executive officer of Irish Water and other representatives, provided clarification on the company's authorisation, budgets, procurement procedures. They presented a plausible case that they are doing their business as authorised to do so.

I seek assurances from the Minister of State on how Irish Water will be run because these were not given yesterday. It will be run on a commercial basis but I am concerned that projects and infrastructural projects might only be funded on a commercial basis. What safeguards are in place to ensure equitable investment of capital by Irish Water in rural areas in order to avoid a return on investment being the over-riding consideration for the company? What public service obligations will be imposed? Rural areas have suffered from a lack of infrastructural investment. Mayo County Council could not come up with its contribution to match the Department's contribution with the result that water and sewerage schemes were not provided in some rural areas.

In some cases, they were in danger of being fined by Europe for breaching regulations on water standards. There must be a dimension to this that looks at these areas which do not have the money and perhaps cannot make the best commercial case and that we do not find ourselves in a situation where they are always at the bottom of the pile of priorities for the spending of money by Irish Water.

What input have local authorities into the water service capital investment programme? Local authorities have local knowledge and have an excellent track record in terms of the resources they have had. Can councils set priorities for their areas? They are best placed to know what local needs are rather than a remote organisation in Dublin deciding. Councils are also in a position to be very responsive.

We are setting this out as a situation where we will improve water quality for all, but many of those serviced by what we term "rural water" do not come within the auspices of this. What will happen in regard to water harvesting? Is Irish Water being directed to pursue that side of conservation also? I look forward to hearing the answers to my concerns.

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