Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Quite apart from the waste of money of installing meters which are not required and will not be required for at least five years, by which time they will probably be obsolete, I dispute the fact they will tell us whether there are leaks. It is a load of rubbish.

I am informed that the people installing these meters are not qualified plumbers. It is a serious issue if we have people working on utilities who are not qualified. I have for the Minister of State's inspection photographs of what is happening during the installation of Irish Water meters. I would like the Minister of State to tell me, because the Department is responsible for the Health and Safety Authority, whether the contractors have carried out risk assessments on all sites on which they are working. Have they prepared and implemented a safety statement, as required by law in all workplaces? Is there effective safety consultation with employees and members of the public with respect to work sites where water meters are being installed? Is a safety representative on site, as is required at all sites where work is taking place on water meters? Is a form AF2, which is required under health and safety legislation, at each work site? Is a process in place to warn the public in each work area of the danger associated with scald risks due to water works? Some of us may have experienced having a shower when a washing machine cuts in and suddenly the water goes from lukewarm to scalding. Is a process in place to inform members of the public that it is likely the water will be cut off outside their door and that it may affect a second property on the same site? Are arrangements in place for pedestrian access in all work locations? If the Minister of State looks at the photographs which I will give him before he goes-----