COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 09, 2013

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor E. Ó Broin

To ask the Manager for a progress report on the transfer of responsibility for water and sewage provision from SDCC to Irish Water including the following information:

- a general overview of the issues, timescales and costs involved
- the detail of the SLA negotiations between the Council, the Department and Irish Water
- the impact for SDCC staff in terms of terms and conditions arising from the transfer
- the timescale and plan for the installation of water meters 
- any other information which the Manager may deem relevant?

REPLY:

In April 2012 the Government announced reform of Public Water Services and Bord Gais were appointed to establish a new water utility company, Irish Water (Uisce Eireann).  Following this appointment the City & County Managers Association (CCMA) established the Water Services Transition Office to liaise between the Local Authorities and Irish Water. 

It is intended that Irish Water will assume statutory responsibility for all water services (excluding surface water) nationally from 1st January 2014.  Local Authorities will continue to deliver water and wastewater functions through a Service Level Agreement (SLA) the duration of which will initially be for 12 years.  ICTU has commissioned Mazars consultants at a National level to review the SLA and advise on any issues of concern to Unions.  South Dublin County Council has participated in numerous SLA related briefing sessions and there has been three SDCC specific negotiation meetings held with Irish Water on the SLA. There have also been numerous meetings held on all aspects of the Annual Service Plan (ASP) and the future Capital Programme.

SDCC will continue to provide water services under the SLA and all SDCC staff who are involved in the delivery of Water and Waste Water Services will remain as employees of the local Authority and will therefore retain their current terms and conditions.

The Water Services Bill 2013 was presented to Cabinet on 26th November and is due to be published on 2nd December.  However, it should be noted that sight of this legislation covering the powers of Irish Water, transfer of assets and billing of both domestic and non domestic customers has not yet been made available to the Local Authorities and in the absence of sight of such legislation many of the issues relating to the SLA remain under review.

The installation of water meters is being carried out nationally by Irish Water and their appointed Contractors.  SDCC understands that the installation of water meters will commence in South Dublin County in January/February 2014. The installation will begin in the Lucan and Clondalkin areas. Irish Water have been requested to provide their Water Meter Installation Plan and Maps for the county so that this can be made available to the elected members.

The attached presentation addressing many of the issues listed above was given to the Organisation, Procedure & Finance meeting of the Council.