I propose to take Questions Nos. 314 to 322, inclusive, together.
The Water Services Strategic Plan is a statutory requirement under section 33 of the Water Services (No 2) Act 2013. The plan sets out the strategic objectives for the delivery of water services by Irish Water over the 25 year period up to 2040. It details current and future challenges which affect the provision of water services and identifies the priorities to be tackled by Irish Water in both the short and medium term.
The plan includes a number of key targets and indicators so that implementation of the plan can be monitored. These include targets for achieving compliance with drinking water quality standards, targets for addressing legacy failings in relation to urban waste water treatment, targets for reduced leakage rates and lead management as well as targets for improving operational and capital efficiencies identified by the Commission for Energy Regulation.
The Water Services Strategic Plan was approved by the then Minister in October 2015. It provides the first real opportunity to take a long-term view of water services investment at a national level, to ensure that investment is strategically targeted towards priority needs and to put in place an asset management approach towards investment in water services that gives the optimum balance between capital and operational spend to ensure the required service delivery to the people of Ireland over time, and at least cost. The Irish Water Business Plan Transforming Water Services in Ireland to 2021 was also published in 2015. It outlines Irish Water’s planned investment and financial targets for the 7-year period to 2021 and provides the basis by which Irish Water will implement the first phase of the Water Services Strategic Plan.
The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has produced a framework to monitor Irish Water's performance over time. Performance metrics cover the areas of customer service, environmental performance, quality of service for water supply security of supply and sewerage service. In addition, Ervia's Annual Report and Accounts and Irish Water's Financial statements are submitted to me each year and are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. These publications enable further assessment of the progress made by Irish Water towards delivering the Water Services Strategic Plan and Business Plan targets.
Delivering the targets set out in the Water Services Strategic Plan will however be dependent upon ensuring the required levels of funding identified in the Irish Water Business Plan to 2021 and ongoing commitment to the required funding levels beyond then.