John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My understanding is that local authorities will continue to provide water services as agents of Irish Water. The cost of providing these services vis-à-vispayroll costs and a portion of the councils' central management charges will be recouped directly by Irish Water. However, it is likely that Irish Water will seek a reduction in what it will pay councils. There are considerable financial and operational uncertainties around this issue. For instance, will local authorities face significant operational and financial risks if the service level agreements, as agreed, are not honoured in full by Irish Water? For example, operating costs in the utility company, to date, have been twice those of its UK counterparts. When set up Irish Water signed a 12 year service level agreement with more than 4,000 local authority workers and there are major concerns about pension liabilities. Will the Minister clarify whether if the pension liabilities of Waterford City and County Council staff and others who moved to Irish Water were transferred to the new employer?

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