Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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162. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the arrangements to be put in place for the administration and the payment of the new conservation grant; the timeframe involved; if application forms will be posted out to houses or if applicants will be able to apply online; if applicants will be required to give their PPS numbers; if persons who have not paid their local property tax will receive this grant; the contact his Department will have with the Revenue Commissioners to verify payments and PPS numbers, where appropriate; the additional information his Department will require to process the applications for the conversation grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5162/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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To promote sustainable use of water and to enhance water conservation in households, the Department of Social Protection will administer, on behalf of my Department, a €100 water conservation grant for households (principal private dwellings) that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process. This requirement to respond to the Irish Water registration process is set out in the Water Services Act 2014, which also provides for the making of regulations that will set out the terms, conditions and eligibility criteria applying to the scheme, including the date by which a response to Irish Water’s customer registration process will be required in order to be eligible for the grant. I will be making these regulations in due course. It is intended that the Department of Social Protection will manage the grant application process through an online interface. It is proposed that the grant will be paid in one instalment to all eligible households in September 2015 and on an annual basis thereafter.

The water conservation grant replaces the tax rebate and social protection measures previously announced, as it is a more straightforward means of addressing water issues for all households on equal terms and will reduce households’ outlay on water services both now and in the future.

As the Department of Social Protection will administer the grant the process is streamlined and clearer for householders. It is also important that all households have an equal chance to reduce their water consumption in their principal private dwellings. This approach ha s a number of policy advantages as it makes water charges more affordable for lower income groups; conservation ensures a better use of our water resources and avoids unnecessary or premature expansion of water treatment plants; and it is environmentally sustainable and protects our water environment which is to the benefit of all citizens.