Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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257. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government whom can residents contact if Irish Water damages their property while installing water meters; and the realistic options they have. [11069/14]

Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Independent)
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273. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Irish Water and the contractors hired to install meters are refusing to compensate a person (details supplied) for damage done to their home as a result of flooding caused during the installation of water meters. [10570/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 273 together.

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 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigned the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the metering programme.

It was always anticipated that in the course of installing meters, pre-existing leaks and other latent defects due to the age or condition of the water pipes would be discovered. Accordingly, where a leak occurs, it is not necessarily the case t hat it was caused by Irish Water’s contractors. The meter installation programme gives Irish Water a strong starting point for mains rehabilitation by enabling the discovery of pre-existing leaks and helping to target more effective investment in leak repair. In order to ensure that there was no delay to the metering project and that no local authority was financially disadvantaged by having to redeploy resources, my Department provided funding to contribute towards this expenditure incurred between the start of the metering programme and 31 December 2013. From 2014, the cost of these repairs is part of the operating costs of Irish Water, who can be contacted directly in the event of issues arising. Householders who have queries about the metering programme can contact Irish Water’s Call Centre by telephone at 1890 278 278. Irish Water has confirmed to my Department that it is aware of the case referred to question No 273 and can confirm that the matter is currently under investigation.