Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In terms of the other responsibilities of Irish Water, it has to implement water safety plans for public water supplies with larger supplies being prioritised. It has compiled the remedial action list. Improvement works and schemes with boiled water notices must be prioritised. If one lives in a town where one has to boil the water because it is contaminated and it is not fit for human consumption without being boiled then Irish Water has to deal with that. There is a requirement for cryptosporidium barriers where surface water at source is critical. We must deal with that as well. Irish Water must take action where there are lead distribution mains to be replaced. We must have regard to the new lead parameters which means the matter must be addressed as a matter of urgency. We also have to detect pesticide exceedence in public water supplies. Many other issues also arise.

At the heart of everything the Opposition has said is an attack on the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER. Members have said the CER is not transparent or accountable and that it will not be held accountable. I pointed out to Members already that the Oireachtas is the primary source of accountability. I am accountable to the House today and the Oireachtas will be accountable for Irish Water tomorrow and for the CER. The CER is committed to regulating in a fair, transparent and consistent manner. Fairness means that it will regulate the water industry in an even handed and balanced way, treating all stakeholders without bias. The CER will be transparent, which is a point made by Senator Keane. Transparency means that it will conduct its activities in an open manner so that those who are affected by its decisions can clearly see how it came to those decisions in the first place. Consistency means that the CER will regulate the water industry with steady continuity by adhering to those values.

The CER will act with integrity and respect. They are two very important words. Integrity means that it will act in an honest and ethical fashion when regulating the water industry. It will value the opinion and viewpoints of all stakeholders, both those who agree and those who do not agree. When regulating the water industry the CER will always respect the right of all stakeholders to their own viewpoint and to communicate their viewpoint to the CER.

The CER intends that there will be proper consultation with stakeholders and customers. That means it will engage meaningfully with those who are affected by our decisions. It will come in the form of talking to people, being accessible to people, meeting them, listening to them and being proactive in the sense of communications. Proper consultation seeks advice and information from people that will help to promote confidence in them that the CER is regulating the water industry effectively. The CER will be most credible when it listens and shows that it is listening to those affected by its decisions. The report contains much information for Senator Cullinane to think about.

Fianna Fáil proposed that county councillors would decide what the charge would be. That is the whole problem. The charge fixed by county councils differs. If one live in County Kildare one’s charge for water is half what it is in County Wicklow. This is because the supplies are controlled individually by 34 local authorities. Irish Water is doing away with that difference and introducing a fair system. The same charge will be levied no matter where one lives, what one’s job is or what industry one is in.

Second, if one lives in a county that does not have the capacity to meet its water needs or to improve its possibly inadequate water systems, it is by all the country working together and pooling all the resources into a single authority that one will have a plan. There will be a development plan from Irish Water, extending over a period of years, which will be clear, transparent, accountable and funded in order that everyone will get the potable water he or she deserves and industries, no matter where they are located, will have the water they require to keep going. Most importantly, Ireland will be the most effective country for water-intensive industries to locate in because we do not have a shortage of water. While everyone knows that, it is also the case that we do not have adequate water supply in the greater Dublin area. Members should cast their minds back to three weeks ago, when there was a problem with water in Dublin. At the time, we were faced with water supplies being shut down during the night, so that people could not use the water system. There is a serious deficiency to be met and this is what Irish Water is about. It is not on the level of the county council and one cannot think in county council terms any more, because that is just not big enough thinking for the country. This is the reason this development is happening and is the reason things must change.

Moreover, Senator Ó Domhnaill is absolutely wrong about councillors. Councillors will be consulted and Irish Water is committed to having in every county council-----