Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2014
155. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will identify the county managers who have received payments from Irish Water in respect of the establishment of that company; the amounts paid to each county manager; the purpose for which these moneys were expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3176/14]
View answerThe establishment of Irish Water involves major organisational change, an entirely new funding structure governed by economic regulation and the roll-out of a national domestic metering programme. The role of my Department is to drive the overall water sector reform process which includes developing the policy and legislation and ensuring delivery of the implementation strategy which was published in December 2012.
To assist with the implementation of the reform process the Water Services Transition Office (WSTO) was established by the County and City Managers’ Association. The role of the WSTO is to support the delivery of the water sector reform programme on behalf of the local government sector, by co-ordinating the input of the 34 County and City Councils. The WSTO prepared a detailed business case setting out its proposed role, functions and funding requirements. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was agreed between the Department and the WSTO. The MoU set out the common understanding between the parties in relation to the role and functions of the WSTO during 2013 and 2014 and the agreed funding mechanism. To date, within the overall spending of some €15.7 million by my Department in respect of the Water Sector Reform Programme, funding of €5.7m has been provided to the WSTO. This funded the secondment of a number of dedicated staff from local authorities with experience across the water services, financial and human resources issues arising in this major organisational change. It also funded the recoupment of on average 2-3 staff in individual authorities for periods of time to interface with the transition office in collating and analysing the information necessary to support the transfer of functions, assets and liabilities to Irish Water. My Department has not made any payments to County Managers in respect of the Water Services Reform Programme.
