Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 April 2014
150. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a site with planning permission but without any development will be exempt from being metered for water charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15803/14]
View answer157. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that Irish Water will not impose a standing charge and-or water usage charge on sporting clubs, community halls and first and second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15881/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 157 together.
Since 2001, national water pricing policy has required local authorities to recover the costs of providing water services from all non-domestic users of these services, including sporting clubs, community halls and schools. This policy provided for charges based on actual metered consumption and is consistent with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive.
The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provided for the transfer of responsibility for the provision of public water services from the local authorities to Irish Water. Irish Water assumed responsibility for the billing of non-domestic customers with effect from 1 January 2014.
The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall charge each customer for the provision of services provided by it. Irish Water also has statutory authority to require any consumer of water supplied by it to take the supply through a water meter. The manner and method of Irish Water's charges will be set out in a water charges plan, which is subject to the approval of the Commission for Energy Regulation. There is no basis for an exemption from water charges for future developments that are connected to a public water supply and/or public sewer and become customers of Irish Water. There are no plans for any exemptions for sporting clubs, community halls or schools.
