Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

This amendment deals with section 6 of the Bill, which enables the Minister, the Water Services Authority or other person prescribed for the purpose of his functions under this Bill to serve notice on specified persons requiring them to provide information. The amendment to section 6(1) is necessary to ensure the obligations to provide information apply equally to all, not just water service providers. The amendment also enables notification under the section to include a requirement to keep specified records.

As currently drafted, the obligation to provide information only applies to water service providers and persons discharging waste water and not to consumers of water supplies. This omission is rectified by the addition of paragraph (c). In paragraph (b), the addition of reference to a drain and service connection is for the purpose of preventing the application of the provision being frustrated by the existence of complex drainage structures linking a premises to a waste water works and is therefore intended to cover all possibilities in this regard. Specification of requirements to keep records may be necessary to ensure the data and other particulars required from the person specified in the notice are properly recorded, produced and verifiable.

To ensure there is a proper flow of information from the providers, all the information required from the consumer will be provided either for the Minister or the Water Services Authority or any other person prescribed. Like some Opposition amendments which I accepted, this is an important amendment. It intends to ensure that all the information that will be required can be made available. The inclusion of others over and above those providing the water is necessary.