Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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199. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the water metres being installed by Irish Water are capable of smart metering, that is, if they are capable of being read remotely. [45597/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group (now Ervia) and assigned the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the water metering programme. Irish Water has informed my Department that each water meter has a low power radio unit fixed to the top which enables it to be read periodically from a passing van. This is what is known as Automatic Meter Reading (AMR). The AMR is dormant until the meter is read when it is activated only for the purpose of taking the meter read. The meters used by Irish Water do not currently employ smart metering technology. However, the meters are capable of being integrated into a smart meter reading system, should that ever be required.

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.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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200. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money paid out of the local government fund to Irish Water under the provision of section 6(2CA) of the Local Government Act 1998 (as amended), indicating the amounts paid, the dates moneys transferred; the purpose of the transfer in each case; his plans to transfer further funds in 2014 or 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45621/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Prior to 1 January 2014 capital funding for public water services was provided from my Department’s Water Services Investment programme (WSIP) and Rural Water Programme (RWP). Funding for operational expenditure has, in the main, come from the Local Government Fund (LGF). The Fund has historically provided local authorities with finance for funding some of their day-to-day activities, including elements of water services costs, through General Purpose Grant allocations. As a result of the introduction of Local Property Tax in 2013 and the establishment of Irish Water, the local government funding model has changed considerably in 2014. In 2014 the Local Government Fund’s budget provide for funding of €486.5m to Irish Water for water-related expenditures incurred previously by local authorities.

The payments made from the Local Government Fund to Irish Water to date in 2014 are set out in the table below.