Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Members for sharing their views during the course of this wide-ranging debate, which I have found to be helpful and informative. In the short time remaining, I will sum up by responding to some of the concerns which were most commonly raised by Deputies in the debate. Deputies will of course have other opportunities to raise any issues of individual concern or priority with the Minister directly, by way of correspondence or otherwise.

As mentioned by my Government colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, earlier, the Government’s water policy programme centres around three key essentials areas of action. These are the full integration of water services under Irish Water as the single national water services utility; sustained high levels of multi-annual investment; and strong protection of water bodies. The Government is progressing strongly on each of these fronts.

Many significant milestones have already been achieved and have paved the way for the delivery of the further necessary transformations in our water sector. These milestones include the framework for the future delivery of water services, which has been identified with unions at the WRC and will enable the full integration of water services under Irish Water by 2026; the Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022, which is now at an advanced stage in the legislative process and will see Irish Water legally established as the stand-alone national water services authority in public ownership by 1 January 2023; the sustained investment in Irish Water infrastructure which is currently being maintained at record levels, year on year, to meet citizens' needs for water services and to facilitate housing and development in urban and rural locations; and, just as importantly, the strengthening of the rural water programme with regard to governance, oversight and financial investment to ensure equality of outcomes for the rural water sector.

The last point about the milestones is that, to underpin all Government activity in the water domain, Ireland’s third river basin management plan is being finalised to cover the planning period to 2027 in order to deliver on our obligations to reverse the decline in water body status and restore water quality, while working towards climate change and biodiversity objectives.

On the referendum, I appreciate the desire by Members to see a firm commitment on wording and timing. The Minister has been clear on the approach here. The wording being considered is focused on ensuring that the entity tasked with operating the public water system, Irish Water, must always remain in State ownership. As for the timing, it is intended the Government will consider a referendum proposal on water ownership in conjunction with the anticipated recommendation of a proposed referendum on housing from the commission on housing. The Minister looks forward to bringing proposals on both referendums to Government for consideration in the near future.

The status of Irish Water as a statutory body is provided for in the Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022. The Bill provides that it will be known as Uisce Éireann and describes it as the national authority for water services with responsibility for the functions assigned to it by, or under, the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022. The Bill provides for a change in the existing share ownership arrangements such that the shares are to be held by both the Minster for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This is similar to the approach for other State-owned bodies. Commensurate with the level of Exchequer funding it receives, Irish Water-Uisce Éireann will be subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General and be accountable to the Committee of Public Accounts.

There is no question of the framework for the future delivery of water services being implemented without due consultation with staff. It is important to note that from a staff perspective, the framework sets out the options that will become available generally to all staff members in due course. It empowers each staff member to decide voluntarily on the option best suited to his or her individual needs. The framework already provides for a comprehensive engagement exercise to be carried out with local authority water services staff to communicate the framework details directly to staff. This will ensure all water services staff will fully understand the options available to them under the framework. Any transfers of staff to become permanent employees of Irish Water will be on a voluntary basis.

Demonstrable progress is being made in addressing the challenges we face and the Government will continue to deliver strongly on the ambitious commitments to water services contained in the programme for Government.

A few issues were raised by Deputies during the debate. Several expressed concerns about communications with Irish Water. We will revert to Irish Water and the Minister in connection with that. I appreciate that given the uncertainty experienced by communities, it is critical public information is delivered to Members of the Oireachtas, and all our public representatives, so we can communicate with communities. Deputy Dillon had a query about the rural water sector and the review. Tobin Consulting Engineers was engaged to undertake a research and information project to inform the working group on its review of the rural water sector. The report for this project is substantially completed and it is expected the working group will consider the final report shortly. Once the working group has considered the report, a policy paper will be developed by the Department and a submission will then be made to the Minister for his consideration in early 2023.

On the number of discharge points, it is important I put firmly on record the areas of improvement. Irish Water has addressed some 18 areas since 2014, which is significant progress. Of the remaining 32 areas of discharge, construction work has begun on half these sites. Again, that shows the result of the significant Government investment in Irish Water. Work is expected to commence on the remaining areas by 2024. I acknowledge the many Deputies who pointed out the significant improvements to the water infrastructure in their locality. We must be clear we had decades of underinvestment in our water and wastewater infrastructure. It is Irish Water's job to rectify this and it is doing just that with a significant programme of work. This money obviously has to be raised by the Exchequer. We are all aware, when we point out the different problems in our society and communities, that money must be raised to resolve those issues. That is why the Government has taken the significant decision to ensure Irish Water has over €1.5 billion at its disposal this year and will continue to improve our water infrastructure and also unlock so many developments. As I travel around the network of 31 local authorities, I see many developments that need to be unlocked in terms of having services to underwrite their capacity to develop into the future. We work closely with the management of Irish Water to continue that programme of work and ensure we are transforming Ireland to ensure it is sustainable and our water services are up to scratch and meet the needs or our communities.

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