Fine Gael is calling for a special hearing of the Oireachtas Committee on Housing to take place after 70,000 people were left without water in the North East of Ireland.

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd said Irish Water and any other potential witnesses should be brought before the first available committee in September after customers in Drogheda, south Louth and east Meath were left without water after a water main burst.

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd said: "I believe the seriousness of this failure of supply to over 70,000 people requires Oireachtas scrutiny.

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"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/LM)