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Irish Water Administration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 November 2014

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

Questions (538)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

538. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the avenues of redress available to persons who experience difficulties when dealing with Irish Water, considering that the body that regulates Irish Water, the Commission for Energy Regulation, is also the body that sets Irish Water charges; and if he will include Irish Water in the list of public bodies which are under the Office of the Ombudsman's remit. [43275/14]

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Written answers

The approach taken to dispute resolution for customers of Irish Water is consistent with the general approach for commercial State companies and recognises that Irish Water is working in a different regulatory framework than that which obtained prior to 1 January 2014. It was a policy decision of the Government to establish Irish Water as a public utility and this is reflected in Water Services Acts 2013. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and that the CER must perform its functions in a manner that best serves the interests of customers of Irish Water. Section 32 of the Act provides that Irish Water shall submit a code or codes of practice to the CER for approval and the CER may modify any such code. A code of practice made under section 32 can include, inter alia, a provision for customer complaints to Irish Water in relation to provision of water services, the standards for the performance by Irish Water of its functions and any other matter the CER considers necessary and appropriate to secure the interests of customers of Irish Water. In discharging its functions, the CER may consult with Irish Water, the public, or any other person it considers appropriate.  Irish Water also has a statutory obligation to comply with any direction from the CER in relation to the approved codes. Irish Water’s approved codes of practice can be found on its website, at http://www.water.ie/our-customer-commitment/.

Similar to the approach it has taken in the electricity and gas industries, the CER has required Irish Water to submit a Customer Handbook outlining the minimum requirements of customer service standards they will provide to their customers. The Customer Handbook comprises Irish Water’s Customer Charter, Codes of Practice and the Terms and Conditions of supply. Following a public consultation on the document earlier this year, the CER have recently published the approved Irish Water Customer Handbook on their website , at http://www.cer.ie/docs/000956/CER14364%20Irish%20Water%20Customer%20Handbook.pdf .

The CER and Irish Water have also agreed to enter into a voluntary 'Dispute Resolution Agreement' which will set out agreed working arrangements and processes to deal with customer disputes. The Irish Water Code of Practice on Complaint Handling has been updated to reflect this agreement. In addition, the CER will be engaging with both Irish Water and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop complementary complaints processes to ensure customers are directed in an efficient manner to the appropriate organisation with their complaint or query. In this regard, it should be noted that Irish Water is also subject to statutory supervision by the EPA and the Health Service Executive in respect of any environmental and human health aspects of its water services provision.

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