Uisce Éireann has conducted a number of meetings across all 31 local authority areas over the last 24 months to outline the process for water services staff to transfer to the new national utility.
The Framework for Future Delivery of Water Services was published in June 2022. It sets out the agreed process towards moving all public water services from the control of Local Authorities to Uisce Éireann and how this will be managed from June 2022 until 31st December 2026.
The Framework emerged from an agreement between the County and City Management Association (CCMA), LGMA, ICTU and Uisce Éireann. It details the choices which apply to workers classed as spending more than 50% of their time on Water Service work relating to Irish Water/ Uisce Éireann before the publication of the Framework.
The choices are:
- Staff may transfer to Uisce Éireann on their current terms and conditions
- Staff may transfer to Uisce Éireann and adopt Uisce Éireann terms and conditions with the exception that they retain similar pension rights as when working with the Local Authority.
- Staff may re-assign back to the Local Authority on no less favourable terms than currently enjoyed. Should staff re-assign back to the Local Authority four weeks’ notice is required to be given by the Local Authority to Uisce Éireann.
- Staff may opt for Voluntary Severance subject to meeting qualification criteria e.g. at least two years pensionable service and be below preserved pension age.
Uisce Éireann published ‘A Guide to Uisce Éireann’s Future Organisation Structure’ in the spring of 2024. Uisce Éireann intends to move staff to new roles in late October 2024.
Applications for the Voluntary Redundancy Scheme which is part of the Framework closed at the end of September 2024. If an application is made and accepted, departure from the service shall be by agreement but should occur before 31st December 2024 unless there are exceptional circumstances and this may be extended by agreement to 31st March 2025.