Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Water Charges Introduction

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

534. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in the context of the forthcoming domestic water charges, if he will provide a detailed list of the free allowances that he will provide for households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29558/14]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

554. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if any property which has been identified as currently not suitable for a meter will be considered suitable for installation during the metering roll out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29834/14]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

555. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the way the CER will determine the tariff for those properties which are connected to the public water and wastewater system but who will not have a meter installed before the commencement of billing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29835/14]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

556. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the completion and implementation timeline for the public consultations to determine the water tariffs for those properties that will not have a water meter installed when billing commences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29836/14]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

557. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the processes that are in place to facilitate the circumstances of a private property owner who wishes to have a water meter installed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29837/14]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 554 to 557, inclusive, together.

With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from each customer in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers.

I have used my powers under the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 to issue a policy direction to the CER in relation to a number of matters relating to domestic water charges, including the provision of free allowances and the calculation of assessed charges following on from the consideration by Government of proposals in relation to the funding model for Irish Water. This direction applies for the regulatory cycle from 1 October 2014 to 31 December 201 6 and requires, inter alia, that funding provided to Irish Water should be used to provide a free allowance of 30,000 litres of water supplied and waste water treated per annum for a primary residence on a public supply and an additional free allowance to cover the normal usage of water services by every child in their primary residence based on the same qualifying conditions as child benefit, such that water charges will in effect only apply to adults in such households. The direction notes that normal consumption is estimated at 38,000 litres annually per child of water supplied and waste water treated and this is to be verified through actual consumption data from metering.

The direction also reflects the Government decision that bills will be capped at the relevant assessed charge level for those customers with particular medical conditions which necessitate high water usage. Qualifying medical conditions will be set out, following consultation with the Minister for Health and the Health Services Executive. In addition to the above, the Government has agreed to put in place further affordability measures to assist pensioners, persons with disabilities, and carers who receive the Household Benefits Package. The conditions and administrative approach to this additional measure will be developed by the Department of Social Protection.

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 the water metering programme. The meter installation programme commenced in August 2013 and will be implemented nationally as quickly as possible. The time frame and the allocation of resources for the installation of meters is a matter for Irish Water.

Of the estimated 1.35m domestic properties connected to public water supplies, approximately 300,000 properties will not be metered as part of the current phase, due to the cost or technical difficulty of doing so. These properties would include apartment blocks, other multi-occupancy buildings and houses with shared service connections.

Irish Water commissioned a study on possible approaches to metering properties that are not part of the current metering programme, including apartments and properties with shared service connections. This report was recently submitted to my Department and the recommendations of the report are being considered. In particular, my Department is exploring with Irish Water the potential to include a new phase of metering of some 48,000 apartments, which the report suggests can be easily metered as part of a separate procurement.

Households that are connected to the public water supply, but do not have a water meter installed, will be charged on an assessed basis, primarily based on occupancy. There will also be provision for a rebate, when a customer moves from an assessed charge to a metered charge and usage is deemed above a reasonable threshold by comparison to the subsequent metered usage .

The approach to charging will be outlined by Irish Water in a water charges plan which it has submitted to the CER in line with the provisions of the Act. The CER is responsible for approving the plan. It has already undertaken a public consultation on the approach to the design of domestic water tariffs for both metered and unmetered properties and I understand that the CER has indicated that it will initiate a public consultation shortly in relation to other aspects of the water charges plan. Full details of the CER's public consultation plans are available on its website ().

In making its decision on the approval or otherwise of Irish Water's first water charges plan, the CER must take account of the direction made under Section 42 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act and the CER will also take into account submissions received on foot of its public consultation on the plan and the decisions made by the Government on the funding model for Irish Water. The CER expect to announce the approved water charges in September 2014.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.