Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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666. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the legislation under which the directive was provided to local authorities requiring them to provide the details of their tenants to Irish Water. [15766/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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667. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the directive provided to local authorities requiring them to notify tenants in respect of their details being provided to Irish Water did not provide for a right of appeal for tenants. [15767/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 666 and 667 together.

Under the Water Services Acts 2007-2013, Irish Water has statutory powers to request its customers and certain specified persons or bodies to provide it with information so that the utility can perform its functions under these Acts, including the collection of data to develop its customer database. In particular, section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to obtain information on its customers from other third parties as listed in the section, including a local authority, the Revenue Commissioners, the Private Rented Tenancies Board, the Property Services Regulatory Authority, the Local Government Management Agency, the Minister for Social Protection or any other person or body to be prescribed by the Minister.

Irish Water is required to manage all personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. Irish Water has an on-going engagement with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner which has worked closely with Irish Water to agree the process for the capture, storage and usage of customer data.