Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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185. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views that a €4,800 water connection fee for a new home in County Galway is excessive; his plans to work with Irish Water to introduce a common fee for the connection of water supplies to all new homes throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15025/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it in accordance with a water charges plan to be approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Section 22(5) of the Act provides that a water charges plan may provide for charges in respect of the provision of a service connection (within the meaning of the Water Services Act 2007) to or in respect of a premises. In its decision on Irish Water’s Water Charges Plan, published in October 2014, the CER stated that, until it made a decision on Irish Water’s new connection charges, Irish Water should continue to apply the connection fee arrangements that were in place in each local authority on 31 December 2013.

The CER has recently reviewed its 2015 work plan with Irish Water and has published, in its Water Charges Plan Decision Paper of 5 March 2015, the areas that it will be progressing in 2015, which includes the development of Connection Charging Policy. Later this year, the CER will publish a detailed work plan in relation to connection charges and will consult widely as part of that plan.