Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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150. To ask the Minister for Finance the planned institutional relationship between his Department and Irish Water once the latter moves under the auspices of his Department; the way it is expected that the key environmental policy supports which currently exist in the Department of the Environment will be provided to Irish Water from his Department; if any risks have been identified arising from the transfer of functionality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32604/14]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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163. To ask the Minister for Finance the role his Department will have in relation to the operation and oversight of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32668/14]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 163 together.

The Water Services Acts 2013, the act under which Irish Water was established, provided that there will be two classes of shares in Irish Water: 

- a single share issued to Bord Gáis Éireann which will carry all voting rights (since it is expressly provided that no voting rights will attach to the remaining shares to be issued); and

- non-voting shares half of which are issued to the Minister for Finance and half to Minister for Environment Community and Local Government.

In addition, NewERA, which is under the remit of the National Treasury Management Agency, is continuing to provide financial and commercial advice on the setting up of Irish Water.  This is in line with NewERA's role in providing commercial advice to Government Departments and Ministers.  The primary involvement of my Department has been to assist with the financing of Irish Water which kept it off balance sheet.  Policy in relation to Irish Water is a matter for the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government. As Irish Water was established as a subsidiary of Bord Gais Éireann, the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources also has statutory functions in relation to Irish Water.    As with all public expenditure policies involving public funds or semi-states, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has an oversight role.  In relation to water charging, the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 makes the Commission for Energy Regulation responsible for decisions on the charging structure for water supply.  The Government's intention is that following the sale of the Generation assets by Bord Gais Éireann, the establishment of Eirvia and the placement of NewEra on a statutory footing,  there will be a future examination and rationalisation of the shareholding structure in Irish Water. This will be the subject to a Government decision in the autumn.  It is envisaged that this will not impact on the policy roles for the various Government Departments as outlined above.