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Water Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 January 2014

Tuesday, 28 January 2014

Questions (490, 514)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

490. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 155 of 22 January 2014, the manner in which the €5.7 million allocated by his Department to the water service transition office was expended by that body; the number of employees employed or contracted by that body; and the identify of all those to whom that body made payments of public money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4487/14]

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Barry Cowen

Question:

514. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the work of the water service transition office; the number of staff employed by the office; the duration of its work; the outside consultant costs incurred by the office; the payments given to county managers under the office's remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3730/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 514 together.

The Water Services Transition Office (WSTO) was established by the County and City Managers’ Association to assist with the implementation of the water sector reform process. 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 involvement of the 34 County and City Councils on a range of matters including standardised data gathering, financial analysis, HR negotiations, negotiation of SLAs and transition planning, all of which were required while daily water services operations were maintained. The WSTO prepared a detailed business case setting out its proposed role, functions and funding requirements. A Memorandum of Understanding was agreed between my Department and the WSTO setting 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.

Of the €5.7m funding provided to the WSTO in 2013 some €1.7m was paid in respect of the staff from local authorities seconded to work in the dedicated transition office in two locations - Dublin and Waterford. During 2013, the average monthly WSTO staff complement across both locations was 17.7 staff, ranging from 21.1 staff at its highest (August 2013) and 5 staff at its lowest (January 2013).  At year end there were 13.6 staff assigned to the WSTO.

Some €3.5m was paid in 2013 for the recoupment of costs for an average of 2-3 staff in individual local authorities who liaised with the transition office in collating and analysing the information necessary to support the transfer of functions, assets and liabilities to Irish Water. The balance of approximately €0.5m was incurred by the WSTO on non-pay related costs. Of this €278,285 was paid to a variety of companies who provided specialist advice on legal, financial, health and safety and IT aspects of the transition as it impacted on local authorities. The balance of €213,252 was incurred on general office running costs for services including rent, utilities and security.

My Department has not made any payments to County Managers in respect of the Water Services Reform Programme.

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