Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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162. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will appoint a representative of craft workers from local authorities (details supplied) to the board of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43467/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) and that the new company should be formed and registered under the Companies Acts. The Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were adopted by Irish Water on its incorporation in July 2013, provide that the appointment of directors to the Board of Irish Water is the responsibility of the Board of BGE (now Ervia) with the approval of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The appointment of directors to Irish Water by Ervia must be in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Acts and with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of Irish Water.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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163. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will make available a dedicated Irish Water phone line and email service for craft workers and their representatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43468/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives and has contacted all Oireachtas members to provide details of an improved level of service which it is aiming to provide. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ieor by telephone on a new dedicated number, 1890 578 578.

As part of the reform process, a specific structure, the Irish Water Consultative Group, chaired by Mr Kevin Foley of the Labour Relations Commission, was established in 2012 to facilitate engagement between unions and management on the water sector reform programme. The ongoing deliberations of this group include discussions regarding the human resources aspects of the reform process.