Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 15, 25 and 29 together.

As the Deputy knows, the programme for Government sets out a commitment to introduce water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. Some 200,000 meters have been installed to date under the national domestic water metering programme, which is one of the most ambitious metering programmes currently under way internationally.

Irish Water has indicated that it will have installed at least 400,000 meters by the end of this year, with 1.058 million properties to be metered by the end of 2016. Of the estimated 1.35 million domestic properties connected to public water supplies, approximately 300,000 will not be metered as part of the current phase due to the cost or technical difficulty in doing so. These properties will include apartment blocks, other multi-occupancy buildings and houses with shared service connections. My Department has funded a study commissioned by Irish Water on possible approaches to metering these properties not as part of the current metering programme but as part of a programme in 2015. The findings of this report are currently being assessed.

Domestic water charges will commence from 1 October 2014 and Irish Water will issue the first bills in January 2015. The approach to charging will be outlined by Irish Water in a water charges plan to be submitted by the company to the Commission for Energy Regulation. The regulator will be responsible for approving the water charges plan and the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in respect of water services provided.

As everyone knows, the Government is currently considering proposals on the funding model. The proposals include measures to support the affordability of water charges, including the provision of a free allowance in accordance with the commitment in the programme for Government.

In respect of metering generally, I have been engaged in recent weeks with Irish Water to advance the metering programme as strongly as we possibly can to have 75% of all houses or domestic dwellings metered by the end of 2015.

See this speech in context