Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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484. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the role the Commission for Energy Regulation has in examining the set up costs of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3553/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Acts 2013 provides that the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) will be responsible for the independent economic regulation of Irish Water.  The primary role of the Regulator will be to protect the interests of customers and to ensure a consistent and appropriate level of service is provided to them.  In particular, the CER will be responsible for approving the water charges plans prepared by Irish Water and examining the costs underlying these charges.

The proposed establishment costs of Irish Water were examined by the CER which gave preliminary advice that most of the proposed establishment costs appeared reasonable and can be expected to result in value for money from a customer perspective. The CER will be conducting a more in-depth review of the costs and my Department has put arrangements in place to ensure that commitments made in 2014 will meet the test of cost reasonableness and value for money for customers.