Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he met with representatives from Price Waterhouse Coopers in the context of the review they carried out on the water services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22698/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government provided 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 committed Ireland to undertaking an independent assessment of the establishment of such an authority.

My Department procured consultants to undertake this study through an open competition advertised on the Government's public procurement website - www.etenders.ie. As a result of this competition, a team led by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which includes legal and engineering consultants, was appointed. The first part of this study is now completed and was published in January 2012 as part of a consultation process to inform the implementation phase. I met with the consultants for an presentation on their findings, in advance of the consideration of the report by Government last December. My Department has met with Price Waterhouse Coopers on a number of occasions as part of the overall project management approach underpinning this assessment, and as members of the project steering group.