John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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239. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if Irish Water will publish a medium to long-term plan to improve water quality, capacity and infrastructure around the country; and if a timeframe will be given for such improvements. [38608/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water has recently published its Proposed Capital Investment Plan for 2014 – 2016 and this is available on the Irish Water website, . The plan outlines a number of priorities to be delivered including improving water quality, tackling leakage, improving capacity and investing for economic development.

In addition to this, Section 33 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 requires Irish Water to prepare a Water Services Strategic Plan (WSSP). The WSSP is intended to outline the strategic direction for Irish Water over the short, medium and long-term time frames up to 2040. The WSSP will be a strategic framework which will identify and prioritise the key objectives required to ensure the public water system can meet the challenges of the future. This framework will also allow future capital investment plans to be developed by Irish Water and approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation in its role as economic regulator. I issued a direction to Irish Water under Section 33(3) of the Water Services (No.2) Act, 2013 which sets out matters to be taken into account in developing the water services strategic plan and “ensuring a safe and reliable water supply” is among the themes to be addressed in the plan in accordance with the direction.

Development of the draft strategic plan involves public consultation and consultation with statutory consultees including my Department, the County and City Management Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Commission for Energy Regulation, local and regional authorities and with environmental authorities. A further round of public consultation on the draft plan will be held before year end with a view to its submission to me, as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, for approval in early 2015.

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email at or by telephone on 1890 278 278.