Water Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-14
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Kieran O'Donnell (FG), Limerick City

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing.Local Government and Heritage.
The operation of the public wastewater treatment systems together with operational issues locally are matters for Uisce Éireann which has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Contracts and payments are matters for Uisce Éireann and I have no function.
However, the Minister has made inquiries with Uisce Éireann on the Deputy’s behalf and has been informed that Uisce Éireann has contracts in place with its contractors for all works and services provided. These contracts set out the applicable payment terms and processes to be followed. Where a contractor raises a concern regarding payment, Uisce Éireann will engage directly with the contractor to understand the circumstances and to address the matter in accordance with the relevant contractual arrangements. Responsibility for the payment of subcontractors rests with the principal contractor in line with the terms and conditions of the relevant contract.
Where there are delays with some payments, there can be a number of reasons. Where such matters arise, Uisce Éireann endeavours to resolve them as quickly as possible once identified. Uisce Éireann is aware of isolated challenges in the timeliness of purchase requisitions and purchase order receipting. These issues have been escalated and are being dealt with as a priority.
It should also be noted that the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, CRU, was assigned water regulatory functions under section 27 of the Water Services Act 2013. In performing its functions under the Act, CRU has regard to the need to ensure that customers of Uisce Éireann are provided with the quality of service provided for in its code of practice, water services are provided by Uisce Éireann in an economical and efficient manner, Uisce Éireann operates in a commercially viable manner, Uisce Éireann can meet all reasonable demands for water both current and foreseeable; Uisce Éireann performs its functions in a manner that will enable the achievement by the State of the environmental objectives of the EU directive, and that Uisce Éireann performs its functions in an open and transparent manner.
The matters the Deputy raised have been brought to the Minister. He has followed up with inquiries to Uisce Éireann. I have no doubt the Deputy will elaborate on the point he raised in his supplementary contribution.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-14