The Programme for Government committed to the creation of Irish Water, a State company that will take over the water investment and maintenance programmes of the 34 county and city councils with the key aim of supervising and accelerating the significant investment needed to upgrade the State’s water and sewerage infrastructure. The Programme also provides for the introduction of a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water with the objective of installing water meters in households and moving to a charging system that is based on use above a free allowance.

The Programme of Financial Support for Ireland with the EU/IMF/ECB also contains a commitment to prepare proposals for implementation of the recommendations of an independent assessment of the transfer of responsibility for water service provision from local authorities to a water utility and that water charges would be introduced during the Programme period.

Within this context, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government is now seeking views in relation to:

  • The development of an implementation plan for the public water utility. This includes issues arising from an organisational, human resources and environmental perspective in the transition to the public utility; and
  • The proposed approach in relation to the future funding of water services including through water charges.

A consultation paper on these issues, and a copy of the independent assessment which examined the optimal organisational structure for an Irish water utility are now available below.

Views should be submitted in writing or by email to the address indicated below by close of business Friday 24th February 2012. Please ensure that all correspondence is clearly marked ‘Consultation on reform of the water sector in Ireland’.

Water Services Section
Department of Environment,Community and Local Government
Room 1.23
Custom House
Dublin 1

Email: wat...@environ.ie

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