Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to Deputy Mattie McGrath's concerns, Ervia has confirmed that issues have arisen regarding a former employee, dating back ten years ago, which are under investigation. I note the Deputy is not in the House now. However, it was highly inappropriate of him to name people in this House who have not been named in the media or in the public domain. That the Deputy chose to name people, whom I am sure everybody would agree have a right to due process, in this House is unfair.

The board of Ervia is being expanded so that people with suitable expertise and experience can be secured to ensure a positive contribution to the corporate governance of what will be the largest utility in this country. Reference was made to Bord Gáis and what it has managed to deliver over a short couple of decades in terms of upgrade of the gas network. The ESB, another national utility of which we are all very proud, undertook a network renewal programme not so long ago and managed to raise billions of euro off balance sheet to invest in the networks of this country so that business and domestic households would have an adequate facility. The Government and I expect Irish Water to do similar. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel rather we are looking at ways and mechanisms to raise funds to invest in what is an essential infrastructure. A proper and adequate governance board is important in this regard. That is the purpose of this section.

We believe what is being sought is already adequately provided for and for those reasons I am unable to accept the amendments.

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