Dáil and public 'entitled to full and frank exchange' as Irish Water faces committee
The Chair of the Oireachtas Environment Committee has said he wants clear answers from Irish Water as to the spending of large sums of taxpayers' money in the set-up of the company.
Head of the new utility company John Tierney will appear before the committee to answer questions on the spending of €50m on consultants last year.
Mr Tierney is also due to appear at the Public Accounts Committee tomorrow to discuss ways for TDs to scrutinise its spending in the future.
Chair of the Environment Committee Michael McCarthy said he wanted to know how the money has been spent and who had spent it.
"There's a situation whereby outside expertise is acquired and I accept that," he said, "but I want to know why that expertise was sought, what exactly it was and how much was spent.
"A full and frank exchange between members of the committee and management of Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) is no less than what we as parliamentarians, and the public at large, are entitled to."
