Hogan urged to reveal knowledge of contracts

Environment Minister Phil Hogan will be called before an Oireachtas committee to explain when he found out about the awarding of consultancy contracts amounting to €85m by Irish Water.

The minister will also be asked to give assurances about the level of oversight and accountability at the agency, charged with supplying and billing all households for water from next year.

The company attempted to draw a line under the controversy by providing full details of the contracts awarded when it appeared before the Oireachtas environment committee yesterday.

It also submitted a detailed timeline of its engagement with the Government, and said that provided Mr Hogan’s department with an outline of the consultancy costs in Mar 2013.

A number of ministers have denied knowledge of costs to date of around €50m since the figure was revealed by Irish Water chief executive, John Tierney, during an interview with Sean O’Rourke on RTÉ last week.

And the department declined to answer parliamentary questions on the cost submitted by TDs in recent months.

Mr Tierney said outside help was needed to make sure Irish Water was capable of delivering on a national water system, as per Government policy and in the timeframe required.

“From the very outset Bord Gáis advised Government that this type of support was critical to deliver this programme and achieve the targets set in the demanding timeframe.”

He said he had not spoken to Mr Hogan personally about the consultancy budget, but that a consultancy process was put in place and “they got information on the outcome of that process in March”.

Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen asked why his parliamentary question on the costs was not answered, but Mr Tierney said: “It is not within our remit to answer parliamentary questions.”

Asked if he thought his organisation should be subject to the freedom of information laws, or be scrutinised by the Comptroller and Auditor General, which is not the case at present, Mr Tierney said that was a matter for the Government.

Mr Tierney is paid a salary of €200,000 but he said that, while he will not be entitled to a bonus, the remaining 500 staff that are expected to be in place by the summer, will.

Department of the Environment representatives will appear before the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee today.

Chairman of the environment committee, Michael McCarthy, said Mr Hogan will be invited before the committee to find out “what they knew when” and “whether they are happy that there are enough checks and balances in place”.

Asked on RTÉ’s Prime Time last night why deputies did not get responses to their parliamentary questions, Mr Hogan said he does not “micro manage” what happens at Irish Water.