Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I note the comments of ICTU. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann, now Ervia, conforming to the conditions contained in the Act and registered under the Companies Acts.

Section 5 of the Water Services Act 2013, as amended by Section 46 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, prohibits each of the shareholders of Irish Water – the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Finance and Ervia - from disposing of its shareholding in Irish Water and thus places a statutory prohibition on the privatisation of Irish Water. To further strengthen this protection of the State’s ownership of the company, section 2 of the Water Services Act 2014 provides that in the highly unlikely event of any proposal for legislation being brought forward at any future stage that would involve a change in the State ownership of Irish Water, the matter would have to be put to a plebiscite of the people. Accordingly, an amendment to the Constitution to prevent the privatisation of Irish Water is not necessary.

Section 21 of the Water Services Act (No. 2) 2013 provides that Irish Water is required to charge customers for the provision by it of water services and that customers of Irish Water are required to pay the charges. The charges are subject to the approval of the Commission for Energy Regulation. The Water Services Act 2014 provides that the maximum charge for a household will be €160 for a household with one adult and €260 for other households until the end of 2018. Provision is also made for charges to continue to be capped thereafter. I am satisfied that this charging structure provides a clear, certain and affordable way of ensuring that the necessary investment can be secured for our vital water services infrastructure.

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