Irish Water is being called to take responsibility for water networks throughout the whole country, not just on a selective basis.

Labour Senator Denis Landy said he has been contacted by people living in private estates who have not been taken in charge by their local authority, and who are encountering problems with water and sewerage. They claim Irish Water are refusing to engage with them or carry out any repairs to alleviate, in some cases, serious public health problems.

He said: "Heretofore, the local authority carried out this work while the process of taking over the estates from developers was in process. However, since Irish Water took over the infrastructure, they have refused to allow the local authority – which is now their agent – on the ground to carry out any of these essential and emergency repairs.

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"I understand there are forty such housing estates in Tipperary from Carrick on Suir to Monard to Dunaskeigh and many places in between. Many of the developers who built these estates have been liquidated and no progress is being made to resolve this matter. This is due to the lack of recognition by Irish Water that contingency funding needs to be set up on an interim basis to deal with these problems as they arise, until such time as the local authority can work with liquidators and ensure that the housing estates are taken over.

"At that point, they will then be considered to be part of the public network and Irish Water will have no choice but to deal with them. In the meantime, many people are experiencing difficulties not only in Tipperary, but across the country, where the sewerage or water supplies have failed them, and they are getting no service from Irish Water.

"I have raised this issue in Seanad Éireann and called on Minister Alan Kelly to immediately bring this matter to the attention of Irish Water with a view to finding a resolution."

(CD/JP)