What are the Regulator’s powers in water regulation?
The CER is the independent economic regulator of Irish Water. The CER retains the power to advise
the Minister on development and delivery of water services. It will:
set performance standards for the new utility;
examine Irish Water’s operational costs and capital plans and approve water charges plans in the light of these costs; and
have powers of direction over Irish Water to produce codes of practice relating to performance standards, customer billing, payment methods, Irish Water information
communication to customers, and customer complaints.
The Minister for the Environment may give the CER a direction of a general policy nature, which the CER must comply with. Such directions will only be given with adequate reasoning, consultation and advanced notice.
Public consultation will form part of CER’s decision-making processes. It has already held a public
consultation on a proposed economic regulatory framework, which will inform the CER’s advice to
the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on economic regulation. It is
currently holding public consultations on the structure of the domestic and non-domestic tariffs, and on customer protection measures.
