The assignment of staff to manage water and sewage treatment plants is a matter for individual local authority managers in the first instance. Following proposals from a number of local authorities, my Department has approved technician level posts for the management of new plants.
The qualifications for local authority officers in the general Draughtsman/ Technician structure are under review and are currently the subject of discussions between management and staff interests. I also understand that the staff side have sought a review of the Draughtsman/Technician structure.
My Department is represented on a national steering committee (comprising also representatives of local authorities, Environmental Protection Agency and FÁS) which has provided local authorities with a professional training course to be run in-house for water and waste water operative caretaker staff. A national assessment and certification scheme which has been piloted in nine counties aims to enable each caretaker in water and waste water operations to have his/her level of competency assessed and certified by reference to a uniform national standard.