Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the effect the establishment of the State company Irish Water will have on investment in our infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27981/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government provides for the establishment of a new State-owned national water authority to take over responsibility for managing and supervising investment in water services infrastructure and to manage the domestic water metering programme. The Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the EU/IMF commits Ireland to undertaking an independent assessment of the establishment of such an authority.

Work on the independent assessment is underway. The assessment will examine the optimal organisational structures for Irish Water, including its proposed powers and responsibilities, and will consider in detail the legal, financial and organisational structures together with an implementation plan. This plan will take account of the need to ensure that this critical public service is delivered efficiently during the transition and that there is no loss of momentum in the delivery of key projects.

It is intended that the outcome of the assessment will be considered by Government together with proposals for the establishment of Irish Water before the end of 2011.