Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014
110. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the full details of his Department's submission to the Commission for Energy Regulation's water charges policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25365/14]
View answerI intend to use my powers under the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 to issue a Water Charges Policy Direction to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) in relation to a number of matters rela ting to domestic water charges, including any conditions attached to the Government funding to be provided to Irish Water. As required by the Act, a draft of the policy direction issued to the CER and the Joint Oireachtas Committee for the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and was published in Iris Oifigiúil. The draft direction was also published on m y D Department’s website for public consultation. The closing date for receipt of submissions on the draft direction was yesterday, 16 June 2014. The draft direction is still available for information on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie. The submissions received are currently being reviewed in my Department and I intend to issue the policy direction to the CER after the completion of this review.
The approach to charging will be outlined by Irish Water in a water charges plan to be submitted by it to the CER in line with the provisions of the Act. I understand that the CER has indicated that it will initiate a public consultation on that plan by the end of June. The CER will be responsible for approving the water charges plan which will set the approaches to charging domestic and non-domestic customers . In making its decision on the approval or otherwise of the first water charges plan, the CER will take into account the policy direction issued by me under the No. 2 Act.
