Statement by Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Water Charges
Government makes NO Allowance for Hard Water
Household of 2 Adults and 2 Children to pay up to €363 per year!
Household of 3 Adults to pay up to €586 per year!
Households with more than one person to be penalised!
It is particularly shameful that Labour Leader Eamonn Gilmore, who built his political career on opposition to water charges , should have agreed to this unfair imposition of water charges.
The government statement is very weak on quality of water issues. There is no suggestion of a change in the designation of hard water, as fit for purpose. This water is damaging appliances in north Clonmel. Irish Water is only being asked “ to take account of the quality of services” such as the existence of boil notices which are in place in some locations in County Tipperary. There should be no question of householders being required to pay for hard water or water subject to boil notices.
Water Charges are double taxation as water provision is currently funded from general taxation. The Government has decided to withhold approximately 500 million from water provision in order to service debts incurred to bail out billionaire investors in banks.
All concessions announced by Minister Hogan are to be funded by greater impositions on all other water users as the projected average annual household bill has not changed. Those working on low pay, for example, will pay well above the average . Houses with more than one adult suffer severe discrimination under the proposals. This is because there is no free allowance per person, just one free allowance per household irrespective of the number of occupants.
Based on information supplied by Minister Hogan, a household of 3 adults, without any allowance (eg health issue) other than the household allowance or social welfare payment, will be €586.50 per year.
The annual bill for a similar household of 2 adults and two children under 18 yrs will be between €300 and €363 depending on usage of water in respect of children (“ child “ applies to a newly born infant and to a person of 17 years of age).
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Notes for Editors
Charges for Water
Based on Information Given by Minister Phil Hogan in statements and Interviews:
Average estimated usage 78,000 litres per person per Year.
Household allowance=30,000 litres per year but not per person.
Child allowance = Maximum 38,000 litres per child per year ( (“this will be up to 38,000 litres per annum- the level of consumption underpinning this allowance to be verified from actual metering data provided to the CER”-Hogan);
Single adult household will have typical annual bill of 138 Euro (Hogan on RTE)= 2.875Euro per 1000 litre(138/48).
Irish Water to take account of the quality of services provided to customers, including circumstances where services are reduced or restricted (e.g. due to boil water notices);
Calculations Based on information above from Minister Hogan
Household of 3 adults without any allowance other than the household allowance and no welfare payment
Usage 78,000×3=234,000 L
Free Allowance=30,000 L
Chargeable= 204,000 L
Annual cost=204 x 2.875 =586.5 Euro
Similar household of two adults
Usage 78,000 x2=156,000
Free allowance =30,000 euro
Chargeable= 126,000 litres
Annual cost= 126×2.875=362.25 Euro
2Adults 2children –same as above if children use full allowance
IF children using 3/4 of maximum child allowance =0.75×38,000 x2=57000
Usage Adults 2×78,000=156,000
Children 57,000
Total Usage =213,000
Free allowances =106,000
Charge =107×2.85 =304.95
The cost to two Adults and two Children will be between €300 and €363 depending on usage of water in respect of children (“ child “ applies to a newly born infant and to a person of 17 years of age).
In light of Irish Water stating yesterday that they will not have charges identified until after the elections despite the Taoiseach stating to the contrary during Leaders Questions on 04 February http://wp.me/p1Uvd5-wN , Deputy Healy again asked the Taoseach this morning:
Deputy Healy asks the Taoiseach the following questions with regard to the introduction of the water charges:
“Where water is not fit for purpose, such as in the case of the 18,000 families subject to boil water notices like residences in my constituency served by the Burncourt regional water supply scheme, will families be charged for water?”
“Where hard water is supplied and is corroding electric kettles, shower heads, washing machines and dishwashers, as is the case across the northern part of Clonmel, will the families be charged for water?”
“A huge number of premises will not be metered before the introduction of the charges. How will the bills for these families be calculated?”
“What will be the free water allowance? Will larger households get a larger free allowance of water?”
“Where individuals have special needs for extra drinking water, will the extra amount be free?”
“Will individuals with medical conditions requiring frequent use of toilet facilities, for example those suffering from incontinence, prostate problems or Crohn’s disease, be provided with extra free water for sanitation?”
In addition Deputy Healy asked the Taoiseach if he had misled the Dáil last week, reminding the Taoiseach of his reply which is on the Dáil record, or had Irish Water mislead the Dáil Environment Committee yesterday.
Link to this mornings show:
Seamus Healy TD on Morning Ireland re Water Charges
Courtesy of Morning Ireland:
How long before consumers know how much they will pay in water charges?
Seamus Healy, Independent TD for South Tipperary, discusses claims by Taoiseach Enda Kenny that water charges will be revealed before the local and European elections.
The link above is for the whole programme, the relevant piece starts at 27 minutes 45 seconds, or, click the option on the right which reads:
“How long before consumers know how much they will pay in water charges?”
This will bring you directly to the relevant podcast.
Workers & Unemployed Action 