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5 January 2011
Last updated at 19:52 ET
The chief executive of Northern Ireland Water has stepped down following Christmas shortages that left tens of thousands of homes without supplies.
Laurence MacKenzie's departure was announced after an eight-hour meeting of the NI Water board of directors.
The company was criticised for failing to prepare properly for disruption following December's heavy snowfall.
Half-a-million litres of water had to be sent from Scotland to Belfast as supplies began to run out.
There were complaints from the public about a lack of information from Northern Ireland Water as 40,000 homes and businesses were without supplies at one stage.
Phone lines were jammed and the company website lacked up-to-date information.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
After more than 10 days of disruption, just 33 households in Northern Ireland are now without a full water supply.
Mr MacKenzie said in a statement: "This is entirely my own decision. I believe firmly in the principles of responsibility and accountability. It is for that fundamental reason I have decided to pursue this course of action."
He added: "I readily accept and recognise that there were aspects of the way in which we handled the situation that could have been better.
"In particular our ability to communicate with our customers and let them know the reasons for and the times at which they were going to be taken off supply.
"This failing added to the considerable inconvenience experienced by our customers - for that I apologise sincerely both personally and on behalf of the organisation."
'Shambolic' performance BBC Ireland correspondent Mark Simpson says the resignation of Mr MacKenzie was widely predicted.
As chief executive of Northern Ireland Water he was the man in charge when the water began to run out.
It was clear his days in the job were numbered after Stormont ministers last week described the company's performance as "shambolic".
Northern Ireland Water is a state-owned company and the minister in charge of water, Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy, is also facing calls for his resignation.
Unionists say they intend putting down a motion of no confidence in him in the Assembly but the move is unlikely to have any impact.
The complicated rules at Stormont mean Mr Murphy's job is safe unless his own party turns on him.
In effect only Gerry Adams can sack Conor Murphy and with an Assembly election only four months away that is not likely to happen, says our correspondent.
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Laurence MacKenzie's departure was announced after an eight-hour meeting of the NI Water board of directors.
The company was criticised for failing to prepare properly for disruption following December's heavy snowfall.
Half-a-million litres of water had to be sent from Scotland to Belfast as supplies began to run out.
There were complaints from the public about a lack of information from Northern Ireland Water as 40,000 homes and businesses were without supplies at one stage.
Phone lines were jammed and the company website lacked up-to-date information.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
I readily accept and recognise that there were aspects of the way in which we handled the situation that could have been better”
End Quote
Laurence MacKenzie
After more than 10 days of disruption, just 33 households in Northern Ireland are now without a full water supply.
Mr MacKenzie said in a statement: "This is entirely my own decision. I believe firmly in the principles of responsibility and accountability. It is for that fundamental reason I have decided to pursue this course of action."
He added: "I readily accept and recognise that there were aspects of the way in which we handled the situation that could have been better.
"In particular our ability to communicate with our customers and let them know the reasons for and the times at which they were going to be taken off supply.
"This failing added to the considerable inconvenience experienced by our customers - for that I apologise sincerely both personally and on behalf of the organisation."
'Shambolic' performance BBC Ireland correspondent Mark Simpson says the resignation of Mr MacKenzie was widely predicted.
As chief executive of Northern Ireland Water he was the man in charge when the water began to run out.
It was clear his days in the job were numbered after Stormont ministers last week described the company's performance as "shambolic".
Northern Ireland Water is a state-owned company and the minister in charge of water, Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy, is also facing calls for his resignation.
Unionists say they intend putting down a motion of no confidence in him in the Assembly but the move is unlikely to have any impact.
The complicated rules at Stormont mean Mr Murphy's job is safe unless his own party turns on him.
In effect only Gerry Adams can sack Conor Murphy and with an Assembly election only four months away that is not likely to happen, says our correspondent.
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