Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The figures quoted by the Deputy are broadly accurate. Irish Water does have a role and is taking on what it needs to take on. However, it is a case-by-case scenario and it obviously has to be very prudent and has to do this in the right manner. If the Deputy has a specific concern in regard to water or a specific project in mind, while I do not have that level of detail available here, I would be quite happy to get the Deputy an answer, one on one.

I must repeat that a huge amount of rigour has been gone through in how Irish Water is dealing with those cases and the legacy issues to ensure there is value for the taxpayer and that this is appropriately managed. I can give many examples where success stories have emanated because of Irish Water. The biggest one, which, to be fair, everyone has acknowledged, is at the Ringsend plant close to here, where a huge amount of capital investment has been saved due to the establishment of Irish Water. There are examples all over the country. This is a very positive thing. The saving in regard to Ringsend alone is equal to the set-up cost of Irish Water.

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