Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1611. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department is aware of the ongoing increase in water charges by Uisce Éireann and the effect this has on small local businesses; the plans his Department has to stabilise the increases before they are detrimental to persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43290/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that non-domestic customers have experienced significant tariff increases in recent years, in some cases due to the transition from varied local authority tariff systems to the Uisce Éireann unified national tariffs system and, more generally, increases reflecting CRU’s regulatory determinations to move towards fully cost-reflective tariffs.

The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC requires water utilities to implement economic principles of cost recovery of water services, including environmental and resource costs and to have regard to the ‘polluter pays’ principle. Proposals to revise the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive includes an “extended producer responsibility”, which further strengthens the ‘polluter pays principle’.

Tariff design is critical therefore, not only to cost recovery but also to creating incentives for consumers to conserve use and reduce levels of pollutants discharged into the wastewater network. The system of charging for water can also play an important role in creating strong incentives for consumers to use water and wastewater services efficiently in support of the ambitious decarbonisation targets as set out in the government’s Climate Action Plan.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is the economic regulator for Uisce Éireann, with a role in ensuring that there is a fair and transparent system of charging for non-domestic customers. Under the Water Services Act (No.2) 2013, CRU has the responsibility of approving the charges applied by Uisce Éireann to non-domestic customers for the provision of water and wastewater services. As CRU is the independent regulator for energy and water in Ireland, the Minister has no role in its decisions regarding non-domestic tariffs.

The Deputy may wish to note however, that the re-established Working Group on the Future Funding Model for Uisce Éireann is considering the affordability of non-domestic tariffs and is due to report to me shortly.