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

The question relates to the issue of the €60 million that was not due to be paid by Irish Water to local authorities according to the Minister the week before last. How did the Department arrive at that figure? My information indicates that the only two counties that have had up-to-date valuations carried out at this time are Dublin and Waterford. While many other counties had not provided for income to be derived from this area in their forthcoming budgets, there was an understanding that income would accrue to them in future once valuations were complete.

It was alleged that €11 billion worth of assets in the form of networks, plant, machinery and so forth associated with Irish Water was transferred from local authorities, as against €60 million as an indicative figure. Is €60 million simply an indicative figure or as per my question? Can an indication be given as to the loss that may accrue to each local authority throughout the State? Can this be ascertained? Can alternatives be put in place to guarantee that the Local Government Fund will substitute those funds?

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