Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2014
107. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on allowing Irish Water to fall under the remit of the Commission for Energy Regulation for the purposes of handling customer complaint referrals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40944/14]
View answerThe 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 Government has recently approved the drafting of legislation for the Water Services Bill 2014. This Bill, which will be introduced into the Houses of the Oireachtas this week, will give effect to certain aspects of the water services package that I announced last week. The Bill includes a provision that the CER will provide a dispute resolution service for customers of Irish Water. This will be similar to the service operated by the Commission for the gas and electricity markets.
