Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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124. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will elaborate on the statement made by the head of the Revenue Commissioners at the recent finance committee meeting where she was discussing the property tax where she clearly stated that the persons who are involved in the installation of water meters in Water Ireland will be used for the purpose of spying on householders and reporting with regard to the valuation which they put on their properties; if he will clarify what exactly is meant by this statement as the public deserve to know what exactly is on between his Department and the Revenue Commissioners with regard to property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48688/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the domestic metering programme. It is central to the e-Government strategy on improved data sharing and linking across the public service that data should be shared between Government Departments and Agencies, where such sharing is mutually beneficial, and I support that strategy. The 2013 Act provides Irish Water with the power to obtain information from the Revenue Commissioners which is necessary for the performance of its functions. In my capacity as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, I have no function in relation to the performance by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners of its statutory functions.