Fintan Towey

Fintan Towey has responsibility at Assistant Secretary level with regard to water concerns the protection and restoration of the ecological status of Ireland’s natural water resources – rivers lakes and coastal waters - and the policies relating to the provision of drinking water and waste-water services to meet citizen and business needs. The key roles undertaken by the Division in this regard include:

• oversight of a significant body of legislation including the EU Water Framework Directive and various other EU legislative instruments as well as several Water Services Acts;
• contributing to the development of water related policies at European and the international levels;
• delivering major funding programmes to meet the capital and operational costs of Uisce Éireann, to support privately owned water services; deliver improvements to water quality; and
• Corporate governance of Uisce Éireann as the national water utility.

The Division also:

• manages the coordination of EU and International matters for the Department as a whole, including, notably for 2026, oversight of the preparation for and delivery of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers which will take effect from July; and
• has responsibility for corporate governance of Gas Networks Ireland.