Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2013
402. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will update Dáil Éireann with regard to the awarding of contracts for the installation of water meters; and when and the way the scheme will operate. [20099/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government and the Memorandum of Understanding with the EU, the IMF and the ECB provide for the introduction of domestic water charges. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. The Government has also 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 metering programme. The Water Services Act 2013 assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the metering programme.
The procurement process for the metering programme is underway. The criteria for the procurement process were developed by my Department, in consultation with Bord Gáis Éireann, to ensure that SMEs have an opportunity to compete for contracts. The tender criteria have been developed to ensure that sub-contractors have the capacity to carry out the scale of work involved to the necessary high standard. The approach being taken for the sub-contractor panel is consistent with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on facilitating SME participation in public procurement (that Department's Circular 10/10 refers). It is expected that the regional management contractors, who will be appointed in June 2013, will be utilising the resources of the pre-qualified sub-contractors for the purpose of delivering the meter installation works. The installation of meter boxes and domestic water meters should commence in July 2013 and will be rolled out as quickly as possible thereafter.
