Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013

43

Information and cooperation

43. (1) The Commission may, from time to time, request Irish Water to provide the Commission with such information as the Commission may reasonably require to enable it to perform its functions under this Act.

(2) Irish Water shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, comply with a request under subsection (1).

(3) The Commission shall, in so far as is consistent with the proper performance of its functions, endeavour to secure administrative cooperation between it and the Agency and for that purpose, the Commission shall enter into an arrangement with the Agency for the purposes of—

(a) facilitating cooperation between the Commission and the Agency in the performance of their respective functions in so far as they relate to water services,

(b) avoiding duplication of activities by the Commission and the Agency,

(c) ensuring, as far as practicable, that the Commission and the Agency cooperate in a manner that best promotes the interests of consumers and the efficient provision of water services, and

(d) ensuring, as far as practicable, consistency between decisions made or measures taken by the Commission and the Agency in relation to water services.

(4) An arrangement under this section shall not operate to bind the Commission or the Agency.

(5) The Commission and the Agency may make an arrangement varying the terms of an arrangement under this section (including an arrangement under this subsection).

(6) The Commission shall give the Minister a copy of an arrangement under this section.

(7) An arrangement under this section shall not operate to require a party to the arrangement to provide information to the other party to the arrangement if the disclosure of that information by the first-mentioned party is prohibited by law.