Joe Higgins
Question:390. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the public funds that have been earmarked for the installation of household water meters. [6542/14]
View answerTuesday, 11 February 2014
Questions (390, 391)
Joe Higgins
Question:391. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the public funds that have been earmarked for the institution of Uisce Éireann, excluding the installation of household water meters programme. [6543/14]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 390 and 391 together.
The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to the introduction of water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigned the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the metering programme.
The current water meter installation programme commenced in August 2013. The budget for the metering programme is €539 million excluding VAT. This programme is being funded by a commercial loan from the National Pensions Reserve Fund.
The Revised Estimates Volume for Public Services 2014 provides an amount of €490 million for Irish Water from the Local Government Fund in 2014; the final outturn figure for 2014 will be slightly less at €486.5 million. This amount will fund water related expenditures incurred heretofore by local authorities, and met by them from their own resources and general purpose grants. In 2014, Irish Water will also receive €240 million in equity from the Minister for Finance. Irish Water is currently preparing a Capital Investment Plan for 2014 – 2016 that will provide for the transition of projects previously included in my Department’s 2010 - 2013 Water Services Investment Programme.
Costs previously incurred by my Department and the local authorities relating to the Water Sector Reform Programme have been met from my Department’s vote. These costs amounted to €15.7 million in the period 2012 - 2013. The majority of this expenditure related to funding provided to local authorities to meet the costs of the pre-installation survey required as part of the domestic metering programme and the staffing costs of the Water Services Transition Office which was put in place to ensure appropriate arrangements for engagement with the local authority sector during the reform process.
Question No. 392 answered with Question No. 369.