Water Meters

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 July 2014

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

Ceisteanna (448, 453, 476, 486)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

448. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the calibration of water meters before and, on a regular basis, after installation; the way this will be done in view of the fact that under weights and measures regulations, all such systems must be checked regularly; who will bear the cost; and the steps in place to ensure every home owner has access to the meter manufacturer's name and the unique product number of their meter. [30751/14]

Clare Daly

Ceist:

453. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way a company (details supplied) was awarded a major public contract on 26 July 2013 when it was only incorporated by the Companies Registration Office on 15 July 2013 and would not have had a tax clearance certificate or have been registered to meet the requirements of the tendering process. [31170/14]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

476. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the origins of the water meters purchased by Irish Water; the manufacturer; the way the source was chosen; the quality control measures and guarantee in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31010/14]

Clare Daly

Ceist:

486. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 488 of 8 July 2014, if he will respond to the question asked, which was the way a company (details supplied) was awarded a regional contract by Irish Water to install water meters on 26 July 2013, when it was only incorporated by the Companies Registration Office on 15 July 2013 and could not possibly have had a tax clearance certificate or have been registered to participate in the tendering process. [31169/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 448, 453, 476 and 486 together.

The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the water metering programme. My Department had no involvement in the award of the contracts for the water metering programme.

Section 72 (2) of the Water Services Act 2007 provides that meters supplied by Irish Water are subject to the requirements of the Metrology Acts 1980 to 1998, any relevant instruments made under those Acts and any relevant regulations made under the European Communities Act 1972. Irish Water is also required to ensure that water meters are the correct type and size required for the accurate measurement of consumption of water and is required to keep every meter in proper order for measuring the supply of water.

In relation to the award of the contract to the entity in question, Irish Water has informed my Department that this was fully in compliance with public procurement requirements. Public procurement rules allow companies to rely on the resources of other entities. The tender documents issued by Irish Water stated, at the time, that the contracting entity could be a single contractor, or two or more contractors acting as a joint venture, as was the case here. While the joint venture was incorporated in July 2013, the entities standing behind it provided signed Parent Company Guarantees, as was required under the pre-qualification requirements. In addition, the tender specified that “a group will not be required to convert into a specific legal form in order to submit a tender, but may be required to do so prior to award of the Contract”; it was also a condition of the award of the contract that, if the successful tenderer were a group, each member of the group produced promptly a tax clearance certificate. Irish Water has advised my Department that these conditions were fully adhered to in this case.

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to [e-mail] or by telephone on 1890 278 278.