Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The past decade has seen a significant reform of water services in Ireland. The policy paper on water sector transformation was published in February 2021, which set out our vision as a Government for water services based on the full integration of water services into Uisce Éireann as a single, publicly-owned national water services authority. The objective is to deliver a world-class public water services authority that meets customer needs, operates in line with best practice, represents value for money for the State and facilitates economic development. The publication of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2022 in December last year was a further significant milestone in achieving this objective. The framework for the future delivery of water services provides the basis for the full transfer of responsibility for water services from local authorities to Uisce Éireann. The transformation programme is progressing well; by 2026, Uisce Éireann will have assumed full responsibility for water services delivery. In terms of investment, the water services policy statement from 2018 to 2025 sets out the broad vision and policy objectives for the development of water and wastewater services in Ireland. Approximately 80% of Uisce Éireann’s funding requirement is met through the Government’s voted Exchequer investment in Uisce Éireann, which reflects the cost of providing domestic water services. On this basis, €1.56 billion is being provided to Uisce Éireann to meet the cost of domestic water services in 2023. The largest capital programme of investment in water and wastewater treatment across the country is under way. Uisce Éireann has a capital budget of €6 billion, but there is still a way to go in many areas to provide the decent water infrastructure needed to allow development and growth in those areas.

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