Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 December 2012
378. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the contractors who are to be given the work of installing water meters nationwide have been appointed; the names of these contractors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53930/12]
View answer403. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the exact stage at which tenders for the manufacturing of water meter boundary boxes are at with the Irish Water Board; is the tendering process open; and the criteria for companies and are the Irish Water Board intending to use local companies. [54305/12]
View answer423. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the cost of installing domestic water meters and the total cost for installation of the boxes for water meters. [54575/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 378, 403 and 423 together.
The Government has decided that Irish Water, a new State-owned water company to be established as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, will be responsible for the domestic water metering programme. The Government has recently approved the preparation of legislation to assign the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the metering programme.
A number of procurement notices were published on the Government e-tenders website last month for elements of the metering programme. Bord Gáis Éireann has recently published details of the procurement process for the meters and associated equipment and for regional contractors for the metering programme. My Department published details of the qualification system for the sub-contractors for the installation of the water meters on 23 November 2012. No contracts have been awarded at this stage. It would not be appropriate to release cost estimates for the metering programme at this stage of the procurement process.
