Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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524. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of staff that work in the leak detection unit of Irish Water; the number of those that are presently employed on temporary contracts; if the local authorities have applied to have the recruitment embargo lifted in order that these staff may be retained in the future, or if these staff will be seconded to Irish Water for the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22345/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Staffing arrangements within Irish Water is an operational matter for the company and one in which I have no function. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water has confirmed to my Department that it has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email at or by telephone on 1890 278 278.

The Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 transferred statutory responsibility for water services to Irish Water and provided for local authorities to act as agents for Irish Water, with this relationship being expressed through Service Level Agreements. Staff in local authorities, conducting work under these arrangements from 1 January 2014, remain employees of local authorities. The number of local authority staff engaged in work under these service level agreements, including leak detection staff, is reflected in a headcount figure which will be reviewed each year as part of the preparation and approval of the following year’s Annual Service Plan. This requirement is intrinsically linked to the levels of investment within the sector in automation, rationalisation and infrastructure and operational upgrades.

The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in March 2009 in response to the financial crisis. My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities, and any exceptions to the moratorium in local authorities require sanction from my Department. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each City and County Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.  In this regard, it is a matter for City and County Managers, in the first instance, to ensure that the moratorium is implemented while the appropriate service levels are maintained. 

My Department examines all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence. Particular arrangements are in place between my Department, Irish Water and local authorities to streamline approvals where appropriate for the filling of vacancies arising within approved headcount figures under Service Level Agreements between Irish Water and local authorities.