Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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18. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on any planned information plans by his Department related to tenants living in rented accommodation and the payment of water charges. [29007/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall charge each customer for the provision by it of water services.  The customer is defined in the Act as the occupier of the premises in respect of which the water services are provided.  There are no plans to change this policy.

Section 47 of the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 includes a provision which would require the owner of a dwelling, supplied with services by Irish Water, to provide details of the occupier of the dwelling to Irish Water.  This would apply whether the dwelling was owner occupied or occupied by a tenant.  However, the provisions would not apply where the details of the occupant have already been provided to Irish Water.  The Bill also provides that any agreements for the occupation of a property entered into after the enactment of the legislation would be deemed to include a provision that the occupier would be liable for any charges payable to Irish Water.  

The provisions relating to water services in the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015 are focused on providing certainty regarding the identity of the customers using water services.  They do not include any new obligations for tenants. Moreover, they will ensure that tenants are eligible to obtain the water conservation grant, to assist them in reducing consumption and ultimately the cost of paying for water services.

As indicated by the Government in May, it is the intention that similar to the provisions that will apply in relation to a change in ownership for owner occupiers, it will be a requirement for future tenancies to demonstrate that water charges have been discharged before deposits are returned. The legislative underpinning for this approach is being considered in the context of more fundamental reform of the deposit regime to provide protections to tenants; I expect legislative proposals in that regard to be brought forward in the Autumn.