Thursday, 23 October 2014
Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
This water tax is the ultimate hypocrisy. During the course of the last general election, the Labour Party opposed water charges. In the final days of that election campaign, the Labour Party produced the infamous Tesco advertisement which I have in my hand and which reads, “Look what Fine Gael have in store for you. Fine Gael – every little hurts”. The advertisement includes a statement that Fine Gael wants to tax water at €238 per annum. This is utter hypocrisy.
The water tax is now being introduced by a Labour Party Minister. The Government has no mandate for this tax. The Minister of State’s party stood in the general election in opposition to the tax and now it wants to introduce it, with no mandate whatever. These are hated charges and it is effectively robbery from people who cannot pay. Families have had enough and this is the straw that will break the camel’s back. Irish Water is an affront to hard-pressed families who cannot put food on the table. The start-up costs amount to €180 million, with €80 million paid to consultants and huge bonuses for senior Irish Water management even if they do not meet their targets. If they need to improve they will still be given a bonus.
The Minister stated in his contribution that a water meter is being installed every 30 seconds. He is completely out of touch with reality because I can tell him that in Clonmel it has taken Irish Water contractors four days to do what they should have done in a day. I compliment and thank the residents for turning out to oppose the installation of these meters. I call on residents in other estates in Clonmel, Tipperary and throughout the country, to oppose the installation of these water meters.
Gardaí are being used and abused by Irish Water and the contractors and they do not like it because they believe they are being undermined. This should be stopped immediately.
Water Services (Exempt Charges) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (18 Sep 2014)
Water is a right and this water tax is an outrageous attack on families who will be unable to pay it.
The MABS report issued today states that families have a disposable income of €9 per week after bills are paid. Even at this late stage the Government should reverse this charge which will be opposed tooth and nail right across the country. I support the Bill and it is outrageous that the exemption for boil-water notices has come at this late stage.
Contaminated water is being supplied to households and the exemption should apply from day one and not after a period of time of three or six months. Houses in the Burncourt and Skeheenarinky area of south Tipperary, like 20,000 or 30,000 houses all over the country, must be exempt from day one.
Families who are supplied with hard water are being forced to pay over the odds to replace clapped out electric kettles and washing machines and dryers. They have been forced to buy machines to reduce the hardness of the water, costing anything up to €1,000 to install and with ongoing maintenance costs. These machines must be flushed out on a weekly basis which adds to the costs.
There are thousands of such families across the northern area of Clonmel and throughout south Tipperary who should also be exempt from this water charge.
Seamus Healy TD
0872802199
From Irish Examiner 25 September 2014
By Juno McEnroe
Political Correspondent, Irish Examiner
Irish Water has confirmed that plans to draw up a list of medical conditions to give certain households discounts for water charges have been scrapped for at least another two years.
The Irish Examiner can confirm that no such list will be drawn up until 2017 at the earliest.
The Government had promised to draw up a list of specific medical conditions to allow households qualify for subsidised water bills.
Earlier this week, the Department of Environment said it hoped to have a list agreed by October 1.
But Irish Water says households will only be asked to declare if they have a condition or not on forms. The company confirmed there would be no list drawn up in the current price control period, which lasts until December 31, 2016.
It was also confirmed last night that the Data Protection Commissioner has asked Irish Water to clarify how it will handle PPS numbers after concerns about use of personal data.
It has also been revealed that water rates and free allowances in general will not be unveiled until just hours before meters start clocking up costs. The energy regulator will unveil the final costs for users, the fixed unit price, and any free allowances for children, the day before charging begins next Wednesday.
Irish Water says 450,000 homes have been metered. This means that over 1m more will be on assessed charges. The Government says the average bill will be €240, but others claim households can expect bills of hundreds of euros.
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http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/irish-water-defers-list-of-illnesses-for-discounts-288545.html
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