Fianna Fáil Environment Spokesperson Barry Cowen TD has reacted to emerging news that the cost of installing water meters will be at least €108m more than was estimated by the Department shortly before contracts were signed with the water meter supplier. The information was uncovered by RTÉ’s This Week programme.
Deputy Cowen commented, “Just as public concerns have begun to grow around the costs associated with installing water meters that do not need to be read under the Government’s new charging scheme, this revelation will be a source of considerable frustration and anger.
“The fact that installation costs have been revised upwards by over €100m is quite staggering. It reinforces the fact that the Government has failed to take control of the project from day one and raises further questions about what will be the actual set-up costs for this failing quango.
“We have been calling for a full scale investigation into the costs of Irish Water by the Comptroller and Auditor General – these latest revelations will strengthen our case. In addition, we will also need to hear from the Secretary General at the Department of Environment, who is the accounting officer for the Irish Water project, at the earliest opportunity in from of the Oireachtas Environment Committee.”