Written Answers Nos. 137-141
137. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government where the property owner's liability for leaks begins, is it at the boundary or at the meter which is on public property; during meter installation, is Irish Water required to intrude onto private property to access the stopcock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39354/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 1 January 2014 Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels including the roll-out of the domestic water metering programme. Most meters for public utilities are located at the point where the connection enters the household. In the case of water services, under the provisions of the Water Services Act 2007, household pipes internal to the boundary of a property are considered the responsibility of the householder, and thus water meters are being fitted at the stopcock at the boundary of the property. As this is located on publicly accessible land, it minimises disruption during the installation programme and in terms of meter reading in due course, as access is not required to people’s homes.
Under the Water Services Act 2007, responsibility for repair and maintenance of the internal water distribution system from the main stopcock to the house and within the house rests with the homeowner. However, the Government has agreed to provide additional funding to Irish Water for their capital investment to include a free first fix scheme. Irish Water has submitted a draft first fix policy to the Commission for Energy Regulation for approval. It is understood that the CER intend to hold a public consultation in advance of a decision and implementation of this scheme in January 2015.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on 1890 278 278.
138. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ring-fence funding to support the national collective of community-based women's networks to deliver the only programme specifically targeted at women for disadvantaged communities; the way he intends providing support for this most marginalised group who are not named under the social inclusion and community activation programme. [39360/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra139. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to engage with the national collective of community-based women's networks to resolve the difficulty that has arisen because that organisation created a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes them from securing funding past 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that NCCWN engaged with 35,580 marginalised women across 17 communities throughout Ireland in 2013 alone. [39361/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra140. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to support the voluntary board of the national collective of community-based women's networks with their responsibilities to 17 local women's projects 44 staff members and approximately 200 non-directly employed staff. [39362/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra141. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that marginalised women are not a target group of the new SICAP programme; in view of this, if he will provide reassurance to the national collective of community-based women's networks that an alternative funding stream will be made available to continue this valuable work. [39363/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra143. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ring-fence funding to support the national collective of community-based women's networks of which Limerick Women's Network is a member group to deliver the only programme specifically targeted at women from disadvantaged communities; if this is not his plan, the way he plans to provide support for this most marginalised group who are not named under the social inclusion and community activation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39418/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra145. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to engage with the national collective of community-based women's networks of which Limerick Women's Network is a member group, to resolve the difficulty that has arisen because that organisation created a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes them from securing funding post 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that NCCWN engaged with 35,580 marginalised women across 17 communities throughout Ireland in 2013 alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39420/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra148. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to engage with the national collective of community-based women's networks (details supplied) of which Limerick Women's Network is a member group, to resolve the difficulty that has arisen because that organisation created a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes them from securing funding post 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39441/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra154. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to support the voluntary board of the national collective of community-based women's networks of which Limerick Women's Network is a member group with their responsibilities to seventeen local women's projects, 44 staff members and approximately 200 non-directly employed staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39465/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra155. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that marginalised women are not a target group of the new SICAP programme; in view of this, if he will provide reassurance to the national collective of community-based women's networks of which Limerick Women's Network is a member group that an alternative funding stream will be made available to continue this valuable work; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that NCCWN engaged with 35,580 marginalised women across 17 communities throughout Ireland in 2013 alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39466/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 138 to 141, inclusive, 143, 145, 148, 154 and 155 together.
I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 551 to 554, inclusive, 557 to 560, inclusive, and 579 of 30 September 2014, which sets out the position in this matter.
