INISHOWEN TD Charlie
McConalogue has called for Irish Water to be
scrapped, describing it as a "hugely expensive
fiasco that has cost Donegal taxpayers dearly".
The Fianna Fαil TD claimed the State is 785 million
worse off following the establishment of what he
called the "super quango", two years ago. He said
"not an extra cent has been spent on fixing one
single leak or water supply problem in Donegal".
This has now gone beyond a joke, said Deputy
McConalogue.
It has been one fiasco after another since this
hugely expensive super quango was established. There
was absolutely no need to set up Irish Water. No one
forced the Government to do this.
"They could have easily left the water
infrastructure within the remit of local
authorities, and instead spent the money on actually
fixing leaks and supply problems."
He said the 785 million of taxpayers' money spent
so far had been "wasted" on bonuses and perks;
consultants and spin doctors and "a flawed meter
installation process".
Deputy McConalogue outlined the spending break down
as follows: 172m on setting up Irish Water; 540m
on water meters; 80m on consultants and 45m on
operating Irish Water every year.
"Not an extra cent (was) invested in water
infrastructure above the usual annual spend before
the super quango was set up," added the local TD.
Irish Water this week revealed that less than half
(46%) of payments had been received for its first
billing cycle - a figure the utility described as "a
solid start".
"675,000 households are now paying water charges
meaning that nearly two million people are living in
homes that pay for water services supplied by Irish
Water. Payment received for the first billing cycle,
at over 30.5m, is 46% of 66.8m due and payments
for the first bill are still coming in," said head
of communications Elizabeth Arnett. If you have any
questions about water bills, the LoCall number is
1890 448 448. |
