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The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Mr Simon Coveney, T.D. has today (29 November 2016) welcomed the completion of the work of the Expert Commission on Funding Domestic Water Services and the submission of the Commission’s report to the Clerks of the Dáil and Seanad.

The Minister acknowledged that this report is the product of a 5 month period of intensive work by the Expert Commission, established to assess and make recommendations on the funding of domestic water services in Ireland and improvements in water quality. The Minister commended the Commission's Chairman, Kevin Duffy, and its 7 other members on completing its task within the 5 month timeframe set. "The panel of national and international experts has delivered a detailed report within the envisaged timeframe and I’m immensely grateful to them for their work. I look forward to reading the report and to its consideration by the Special Oireachtas Committee which has now been established for this purpose", said the Minister.

The Minister also complimented the Institute of Public Administration in providing the independent secretariat to the Commission.

The Minister noted that "the completion of this report is a very important element in the future funding of public water services in Ireland. The report is part of a process mapped out in the Confidence and Supply Agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the next steps of which will see the Special Committee proceeding with its consideration of the report and endeavouring to make its own recommendations to the Oireachtas by end-February. The Committee's recommendations will then be considered and voted upon by the Oireachtas within a further month. I would like to take the opportunity of wishing the Committee's Chairman, Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh, and the rest of the Committee members well with their work", said the Minister.

"The funding strategy for Irish Water for 2017 and 2018 will be reconsidered by Government in early 2017 following the decisions of the Oireachtas, informed by the report of the Expert Commission, on the approach to funding domestic water services. I hope we will continue to have a reasoned and respectful debate on these issues in advance of a final decision", concluded the Minister.