Ms Caroline Fahy:

A point being missed in the debate around water charges is the need for more information on water affordability and so on. We have been calling for publication of the ESRI report on affordability and consumption. Without information on how much a household is likely to consume and its impact on affordability it is hard for us suggest what people earning under a particular income or families of a particular size should pay. We cannot put a figure on that. What we are asking for is more information on the consumption and affordability issue. The figures floating around in terms of what the Government needs to take in by way of water charges, what Irish Water needs to invest in infrastructure and what it is proposed households will pay do not appear to add up. This leads us to believe water charges will increase significantly over the next couple of years, which again will impact hugely on people on low incomes.

We welcome the reference in the statement of Government priorities to the household benefits package being used to compensate some households. We are also seeking compensation for the many other households on the same level of income who will not benefit from that.