Future Funding of Domestic Water Services Committee to focus on regulation

Chairman of the Committee Pádraig Ó Céidigh said: “According to the report of the Expert Commission, regulators are essential to hold Irish Water to account for compliance with drinking water quality, environmental requirements, and ever-improving levels of service and efficiency. It said that economic regulation, with adequate expertise, will be required to ensure that the appropriate capital expenditure investments are made and that operating expenditure costs are driven down over time. The Expert Commission recommended that the Commission for Energy Regulation and the Public Water Forum continue to be adequately resourced with the tools and expertise to drive efficiency targets in the sector. Tomorrow, we will examine the issue of regulation and compliance with European law in greater detail with representatives from European Commission; Environmental Protection Agency; Commission for Energy Regulation; the Department of Housing, Planning Community and Local Government: Matthias Kelly SC; and Conleth Bradley SC.”

The Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services will meet in Committee Room 4, at 1.30pm on Wednesday, 15 February 2017. Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.