Nobody in Irish Water will be paid for doing nothing, says Kenny

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has rejected a claim that Irish Water is overstaffed.

In the Dail today, Mr Kenny challenged a claim by Prof John Fitzgerald of the Economic and Social Research Institute that the staff level of 4,300 in Irish Water was far in excess of the 1,700 employees necessary to run the new utility.

“I do not accept the assertion that people will be paid for doing nothing in Irish Water,’’ he said.

Mr Kenny said a financial and business model for Irish Water would be published in the next few weeks, which would show that in the next 10 years there would be a reduction in staff of about 2,000 people, down from 4,300 because of people reaching pension age and retirement.

“The eminent economist, John FitzGerald received lots of attention,” he added. “He also did say that there would be considerable savings… through what is envisaged with Irish Water with the capacity to reduce the national debt.’’

Mr Kenny said that Prof FitzGerald seemed to assume that the utility would have the same number of employees at the end of 2025 as it had taken on board.

Mr Kenny rejected a claim by Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin that the utility was surrounded in secrecy. He said it was obvious from last year that the cost of establishing it would be a headline figure of €180 million.

He said that, as he understood it, there were three people who retired from county councils with lump sums and pensions recruited by the utility in an open competition.

Mr Martin said that Mr Kenny's reply to his questions had no credibility and was incorrect. "Everything we have found out to date has been via the media and not from you and not from Minister Phil Hogan, '' he added.

Independent TD Stephen Donnelly asked why Irish Water was signing a 12-year service agreement. "I can understand three years to maintain integrity and institutional knowledge,'' he added. "Why 12 years ?''