64.—(1) The Agency shall, after consultation with such persons or bodies (if any) as may be prescribed, prepare a national programme for the collection, analysis and publication of information on the levels, volumes and flows of water in rivers, lakes and groundwaters in the State (in this Act referred to as “hydrometric data”), and a copy of such programme shall, as soon as may be, be sent by the Agency to the Minister.

(2) A programme under this section may, after consultation with the persons or bodies (if any) referred to in subsection (1), be revised from time to time by the Agency and shall be reviewed at least every five years.

(3) It shall be the duty of the Agency to take appropriate steps to ensure that a programme under this section is implemented and for that purpose the Agency may—

(a) direct a local authority to provide, operate and maintain such gauges and other equipment as it may specify and to furnish specified information to the Agency in such manner and at such times as it may specify,

(b) make arrangements with any public authority, or other person or body to provide, operate and maintain such gauges and other equipment as it may specify and to furnish specified information to the Agency in such manner and at such times as it may specify,

(c) provide, operate and maintain gauges and other equipment for recording hydrometric data.

(4) Where the Agency is not satisfied with the response of a local authority to a direction under subsection (3) (a), it shall consult with the local authority concerned, and, if the Agency is still dissatisfied with the response following such consultation, the Agency shall carry out, cause to be carried out, or arrange for, the monitoring concerned and the costs of the monitoring may be recovered by the Agency from the local authority as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.