7. (1) The Commission shall establish a customer consultative forum to be known as the Public Water Forum which is in this section referred to as the “Forum”.

(2) The Forum shall consist of at least 12 and not more than 60 members (including a chairperson).

(3) (a) The Minister shall appoint a person to be the chairperson of the Forum who, in the opinion of the Minister, has appropriate expertise and experience.

(b) An appointment under paragraph (a) shall be for such period not exceeding 3 years as specified by the Minister when appointing the person and shall be on such terms as may be determined by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(c) The chairperson shall chair the meetings of the Forum.

(d) In the event of the chairperson being unable to attend a meeting of the Forum, the members of the Forum who are present shall choose one of their number to chair the meeting.

(e) In the event of the office of chairperson being vacant, the Minister shall designate one of the members of the Forum to chair its meetings until a chairperson is appointed.

(4) The Minister shall make regulations in respect of the composition of, and the conditions of membership of, the Forum.

(5) The Forum shall have the following functions:

(a) to represent the interests of customers of Irish Water;

(b) to provide Irish Water with comments and suggestions in relation to the performance by Irish Water of its functions;

(c) to provide the Commission with comments and suggestions in relation to the performance by Irish Water of its functions;

(d) to comment on any policy document produced by Irish Water, when requested to do so in writing by Irish Water;

(e) to comment on any consultation document produced by the Commission in respect of public water and waste water services, when requested to do so by the Commission;

(f) to carry out such other activities in respect of such other matters as the Minister by order specifies.

(6) The Commission shall provide the Forum with such administrative services, including technical advice, as it requires to discharge its functions.

(7) The Commission shall—

(a) not later than 6 months after the passing of this Act, prepare and submit to the Minister a plan for the administrative arrangements for the Forum in respect of the period of 3 years immediately following the year in which the plan is so submitted, and

(b) not later than 3 months before each third anniversary of the submission to the Minister of the first plan, prepare and submit to the Minister a plan in respect of the 3 years immediately following the year in which it is submitted.