Lucinda Creighton calls for inquiry into Hogan meetings with Bord Gáis

Lucinda Creighton is seeking a formal inquiry into the lack of full documentation of meetings between then minister for the environment Phil Hogan and Bord Gáis Éireann chairwoman Rose Hynes about the establishment of Irish Water.

The Renua Ireland leader said an inquiry should be conducted by the Oireachtas environment committee into what she described as “appalling” and “unacceptable” practice.

She said the idea that you could have a general discussion about all aspects of the establishment of a major utility, including issues such as staffing levels, water metering, 12-year agreements with local authorities, yet have no notes of those meetings, was “just not credible”.

Ms Creighton's comments on RTÉ's This Week follow the programme's revelations that no records were kept of meetings in October and November 2012 at Mr Hogan's Leinster House office at a time when significant issues about Irish Water's establishment were being decided.

During Irish Water’s first six months, April to September 2012, 23 meetings took place between Bord Gáis and the department, but only 10 were minuted. There were four meetings between Mr Hogan and Bord Gáis officials, two of them with Ms Hynes.

Bord Gáis said it was customary for such meetings to take place without recording what was discussed.

A Department of Environment spokesman said that “as officials were not present at the meetings the agendas or reports of the meetings are not generally available and therefore are a matter for those present”.