Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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568. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the payment of water charges is the responsibility of the landlord or the tenant of a private house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23251/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to charge customers in respect of the services provided. The Act defines the customer as the occupier of the premises in respect of which the water services are provided. The Act also states that it will be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, that the owner of a premises is also the occupier of the premises.

The charges to be levied by Irish Water shall be specified in a water charges plan which is subject to the approval of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The CER has announced that it will be undertaking a public consultation on the water charges plan to be submitted by Irish Water in June 2014 and will be announcing the approved charges in August 2014. Irish Water will begin charging households for water from 1 October 2014, with the first bills to be issued from January 2015.