COUNTY Limerick politician Richard O’Donoghue has called for local authorities to be a watchdog over Uisce Éireann.
Speaking in the Dáil this past week, Deputy O’Donoghue told Tánaiste Simon Harris that, contrary to health and safety requirements, employees of the national water utility have turned up to plants with no risk assessments or method statements and without confined space training.
“This is putting people who work for Uisce Éireann at risk. We want a watchdog, so the likes of county councillors and TDs have a watchdog over Uisce Éireann to make sure it is compliant and makes sure our water services are kept up to the highest standard. We need to keep that connection,” the Independent Ireland TD insisted.
“I want the local authority to make sure we have a watchdog over Uisce Éireann. It could then directly report to the Government to make sure compliance is kept. Under health and safety, there are massive concerns there.”
The Tánaiste thanked Deputy O’Donoghue for raising the issue but made it clear that he did not want to give a knee-jerk response.
“I will certainly give consideration to what the Deputy said. I will also talk to the Minister, Deputy Browne, in relation to this,” he concluded.