Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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127. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Irish Water is insisting, as part of its Multi-Supplier Framework for the Provision of Water Services Repair and Maintenance Works, information be provided in full of evidence of a minimum of two employees with confined space entry training; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this condition essentially precludes many contractors who have been supplying these services to local authorities for many years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4422/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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As Irish Water is a commercial utility and a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE), formed and registered under the Companies Act, I have no role in relation to the procurement by Irish Water of external resources. This is an operational matter for the company.

However, Irish Water assures me that their tendering processes are fully compliant with public procurement rules.

I understand from the company that in this case the tenders were designed by engineering expertise seconded directly from local authorities, in consultation with Irish Water legal, insurance and Health, Safety, Quality and Environment (HSQE) sections. In line with the statutory requirements and the associated code of practice for working in confined spaces, it is Irish Water policy that a minimum of two persons with confined space entry training will always be needed to meet the statutory requirements and to achieve an acceptable safe system of work.

Services in connection with confined spaces entry and inspection is one of several sub-frameworks within the main Provision of Water Services Repair and Maintenance Framework. Contractors who did not have confined space capability were eligible to participate in other sub-frameworks where they had appropriate capability.