Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2016
388. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the Commission for Energy Regulation will unveil the new pricing strategy for water supply connections for newly-built homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9383/16]
View answerWith effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it in accordance with a water charges plan to be approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Section 22(5) of the Act provides that a water charges plan may provide for charges in respect of the provision of a service connection (within the meaning of the Water Services Act 2007) to, or in respect of, a premises. In its decision on Irish Water’s water charges plan, published in October 2014, the CER stated that until it made a decision on Irish Water’s new connection charges, Irish Water should continue to apply the rates which were charged by the local authorities at 31 December 2013. In its Water Charges Plan Decision Paper of 5 March 2015, the CER outlined the areas that it would be progressing, which includes the development of a connection charging policy.
I understand that the CER has commenced work on the project to establish Irish Water’s connection charging policy and that it expects to commence the public consultation later this year on the development of an enduring policy for domestic and non-domestic connections to Irish Water’s network.
