Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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506. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the help available to homeowners who moved into homes with leaks on their side of the property boundary in view of the imminent introduction of water charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3685/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to the introduction of water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. 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 this metering programme. As part of the metering programme, my Department is currently working on proposal s regarding customer-side leakage and the detailed arrangements are not yet finalised.