Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

251. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has raised the matter of connection fee increases by Irish Water over and above development levy reductions; if his Department has issued any instructions to Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33776/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 rates which were charged by the local authorities at 31 December 2013. Although Tipperary County Council is now the amalgamation of North Tipperary County Council and South Tipperary County Council, including Clonmel Borough Council, all of these entities were still in place as of 31st December 2013 and as such the various fees at that date still apply. Irish Water has informed my Department that there is not a single set fee for either a water or wastewater connection in Tipperary and the calculation for each composite connection charge (connection works fees plus development contribution fees) is calculated separately, depending on the location of the connection.

The CER 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 intend to publish an Information Paper which will include a high level work plan relating to the CER’s approach to consulting on Irish Water’s Connection Charging Policy.

In so far as the fees charged in relation to a particular property are concerned, Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ieor by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.