Irish Water has confirmed plans to cut 1,200 jobs as part of its business plan for the next seven years.
The measures are part of a cost-cutting programme worth €1.1 billion - which will eliminate all 'boil water' notices, while also cutting down dramatically on the leaks in Ireland's water network.
But trade unions says the jobs can't be cut without breaking the terms of a public sector pay deal which forbids mandatory public redundancies.
Meanwhile opposition TDs have questioned the figures contained in the plan.
Fianna Fáil's Micheal Martin says the plan assumes water charges will remain fixed for seven years - thereby rendering the installation of water meters largely redundant.
Separately, People Before Profit's Richard Boyd-Barrett says the financial details in the plan actually prove Irish Water was never necessary - as the same investment could have been achieved by direct exchequer input, without any need to impose domestic charges or to transfer staff from local authorities.
Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News:
