Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Irish Water has a responsibility to put information into the public domain if it feels it is relevant. I suspect that is what it was trying to do. I have not read the report the Deputy is referring to but there is a massive opportunity cost in terms of essentially going backwards in terms of the way we deliver water. I will have an opportunity when debating these issues later to outline the reason I believe a single utility is so important for Ireland. The previous approach of having 34 local authorities delivering water services was a disaster in terms of underinvestment and, most important, public health. The real concern of those in Irish Water who understand water systems, in the context of that model and charging being abolished, is the very significant cost to the State, and I believe that is what it was trying to explain.

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