Fine Gael has written to the joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Local Government, calling for a special hearing to take place over the failure to supply water to over 70,000 people in the North East.

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd also called for Irish Water and any other potential witnesses to be brought before the first available committee meeting in September after the recent serious events in Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath involving a burst water main.

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He said: "The holding of such hearings will help the public's understanding of how Irish Water operates why this issue was allowed to arise.

"Irish Water must be held to account and asked to identify any threats to our water supply elsewhere in the country and reminded of the need for proper emergency planning and local coordination of statutory and voluntary services in the event of any such future catastrophic failure.

"I have seen first-hand the hardship inflicted on the people of the North East by the burst water main, and I have been working tirelessly to ensure supply is restored to all households.

"Some homes have now had their supply restored but I will not rest until every home has running water again.

"I have already called for Irish Water to conduct a nationwide inspection of their network system, identify problem areas and immediately set about repairing them."

(CD/MH)