Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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498. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to strengthen the transparency and accountability of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3557/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Act 2013 provide s for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group , which conforms to the conditions set out in the Act and is registered under the Companies Acts. The Act provides that Irish Water will be required to submit an annual report on the performance of its functions each year to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Irish Water will be required to submit its annual accounts to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government each year. The 2013 Act also provides that the annual report and accounts will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the establishment of an economic regulator for water services within the Commission for Energy Regulation.

Recently, to support and assist public representatives in their role, my Department has requested Irish Water, on behalf of myself and Minister O’Dowd, to take early action to ensure that public representatives are regularly briefed on matters pertaining to the organisation and operation of Irish Water. Irish Water are currently considering how best they can support and respond to the Parliamentary and public representation needs of elected representatives at national and local level.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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500. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to include Irish Water under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General in order to provide public confidence in Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3559/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, conforming to the conditions contained in the Act and registered under the Companies Acts. Schedule 2 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993 sets out the bodies, including Bord Gáis Éireann, which are excluded from inspection by the Comptroller and Auditor General and section 8(3) of the Act provides that subsidiaries of bodies listed in Schedule 2 are also excluded from inspection by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The 2013 Act provides that Irish Water must maintain all accounts necessary to comply with the provisions of the Companies Acts. Irish Water, as a commercial State body within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, is subject to all the normal governance and accountability rules which apply to such a public utility including external audit. The Act provides that Irish Water will be required to keep accounts of all moneys received or expended by it and must submit an annual report on the performance of its functions each year to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Act also requires that the annual report is to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.