Department of the Taoiseach

All cabinet minutes, memos,agendas, briefing documents and ministerial observations from all members of the Cabinet regarding the Government Decision S.lS0/20/10/1277 at the Cabinet meeting on 13 December 2011. This was where the Government decided: - to establish a public water utility (Irish Water) to take over the delivery and operation of water services from local authorities as recommended in the independent assessment of water services provision undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), with further consideration to be given to the role that existing State agencies might play in supporting the establishment of Irish Water; - that metered charges represented the fairest and most equitable way to introduce water charges and that an accelerated programme of metering should be initiated. The Government approved the funding of this domestic water metering programme by way of a loan of up to €450m from the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF); and - that responsibility for the economic regulation of Irish Water would be assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation.