When is it expected that next the Bill regarding the setting up of Irish Water will be brought before the House? I am conscious of the fact and have been led to believe that lucrative contracts for water metering will be announced next week when the Dáil will not be sitting. I thought we might have been informed of the content and extent of those contracts during this week when the Dáil is sitting.

The water services Bill is to be introduced later on in the year. The contracts, as I understand this - I will have the Minister contact the Deputy - are for the major regional contractors who in turn will employ subcontractors to do the work on numbers of houses.

They are not compelled to employ subcontractors.

No, but they have at their discretion the option of employing pretty significant numbers of local contractors and unemployed persons from the construction sector, competent persons in the plumbing business and so on. I think these tenders are in; they are probably known at this stage. The announcement in respect of the regional contractors is to be next week, as the Deputy pointed out. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to let the Deputy know about that.