Eurostat to defend decision after criticisms by ministers

Accusations by ministers that the EU’s statistics body was wrong in its assessment that Irish Water was not sufficiently independent of the Government will be answered by Eurostat today.

An analysis of the decision will set out the arguments in detail and the Irish Central Statistics Office is expected to confirm the Luxembourg-based body’s decision.

The Government hoped Irish Water would be classified as a commercial entity, which would mean the State’s investment, amounting to 0.2% of GDP, would not have to be included in the country’s deficit which it is striving to bring below 3%.