Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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151. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding Irish Water (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39456/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Irish Water was established under Statute with a legal prohibition on privatisation. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, to be formed and registered under the Companies Acts. Section 5 of the Act provides that the shareholders of Irish Water are Ervia (formerly Bord Gáis Éireann), the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Finance. Subsection 5(6) of the Act, as amended by Section 46 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, prohibit s the shareholders from disposing of their shareholding in Irish Water, which in effect places a statutory prohibition on the privatisation of Irish Water.  

The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water is responsible for public water services. Section 21 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 requires Irish Water to charge each customer for water services, in accordance with a water charges plan, which is subject to the approval of the Commission for Energy Regulation. The water charges plan for the period from 1 October 2014 to end 2016 has now been approved by the Commission. The Act defines the customer as the occupier of the premises in respect of which the water services are provided. In accordance with section 72 of the Water Services Act 2007, Irish Water may require any consumer of water services provided by it to take their supply through a water supply meter.