Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, to the House. I am seeking clarification and a commitment from Irish Water to allay residents’ fears with regard to systems installed by county councils in housing estates over the past 50 years where main water and sewer lines pass through households, gardens and yards.

In October 2015, the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, was asked if the Water Services Act 2013 would be amended to allow either Irish Water or the local authorities accept responsibility for all sewerage mains and infrastructure, such as manholes and interchanges, including those running through non-public properties which were originally maintained by the local authorities. This refers to the maintenance of backyard sewer pipes. At the time, the then Minister said that from 2014, Irish Water was responsible for the public water service infrastructure, including water supply pipes or sewers extending from waterworks or wastewater works to a boundary, an area of land attached to a property. There were no plans to change the 2007 Water Services Act where the responsibility for the maintenance and replacement of any water or water waste pipes which are located in the boundaries of a property are the responsibility of the owner. Irish Water produced a pipe ownership document which essentially stated the maintenance of communal sewers is a matter for the residents and not for Irish Water. If Irish Water does not maintain the source, will the Government provide funding directly to local authorities to allow them to maintain the sewers maintained in the past, prior to the advent of Irish Water?

For example, two weeks ago in one of the largest local authority housing estates in Carlow, I came across a situation where 12 houses, which are 50 years old, were all connected to the same pipeline. There was a problem in one garden with the pipe leaking where the connecting manhole was located. When I telephoned Irish Water, it informed me it was not responsible because it was inside the garden. The local authority also told me it was not responsible. The home owner affected is an old age pensioner and he was told he would have to pay a bill of €2,500. Nobody is taking responsibility and it is not acceptable. It is outrageous to charge people for this when putting in water meters the same week. We need to ensure Irish Water takes responsibility for this or the Government gives funding to local authorities to maintain these pipes, which they used to do. This issue with these pipes is wear and tear and not the residents. I know a committee has been set up to look into this. This is the biggest issue facing Irish Water and local authorities and it needs to be sorted.