Heated Dáil exchanges on water charges

Tánaiste Joan Burton has insisted the Government will assist those on low incomes with water charges.

She rejected claims by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin that there was "no linkage to ability to pay" for people with low incomes, and she repeated her accusation that Fianna Fáil was taking a "cynical in the extreme" position as in government Fianna Fáil had agreed to international contracts of a flat water charge of €400.

Ms Burton also said Irish Water would ask people to “self-report” on medical conditions, which would allow them reduce their water charges.

During heated exchanges in the Dáil during Opposition leaders’ questions Mr Martin had said there was no linkage in the system of charges to ability to pay, with children only qualifying for a shower and one toilet flush daily.

He asked Ms Burton: “Will you review the structures you’ve introduced and put in place an ability-to-pay framework which would be fair and help people on low pay?”

Medical conditions

He also called on her to clarify the position on medical conditions following a report in the Irish Independent that homeowners would simply tick a box on the Irish Water form that would allow them to limit the charges they paid.

Ms Burton told him the form that had been sent out by Irish Water asked people to give information. “They’re asking people to self-report.” She said to Mr Martin: “You seem not to want to trust people.”

She said the regulator would make a ruling shortly about contaminated water, which she said “will mean that people on boil-water notices will not have to pay for the delivery of water to their homes”.

Irish Water was asking people to self-report, and she said the Government had agreed a household water-support payment package worth €42 million.

She said those on social welfare and anyone of the household benefits package would receive €100 a year, paid quarterly. Some 410,000 families would receive the payment.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said the annual Money Advice and Budgeting Service (Mabs) report showed that the average disposable income of people using their services was €8.75 a week after all bills were paid.

Household essentials

She asked the Tánaiste: “How do you expect or recommend to these families that they pay €500 a year or more for their water. What household essentials do you advise them to cut back on?”

Ms Burton said the Mabs report showed things were improving but not quickly enough. The single best thing they could do for people needing the services of Mabs was to help them get back to work.