Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am very concerned that Irish Water may not be fully complying with the EU Measuring Instruments Directive. I ask the Minister of State to confirm that the Department has checked and ensured that we are in full compliance. The aforementioned directive states that no tools should be needed in order to be able to read the meter but one needs a screwdriver to access the meter in the first instance. That is a major concern. It is also worrying that the digits on the meters are very small. I have been reliably informed that one would need a pair of binoculars to read the numbers, particularly the last two digits. These issues are of concern because homeowners will have difficulty determining how much water they are using in order to estimate the size of their bills.

There has been some talk about the possibility of house display units being made available to homeowners, allowing them to read their water meters inside their homes. I ask that such units be provided free of charge to those who have a disability who are not in a position to go outside to interfere with and try to read their water meters. I have been told that the cost of such units could be substantial but I believe that technology should be rolled out and made available to those homeowners who wish to keep an eye on their consumption, particularly in the context of tight household budgets.

Another issue of concern is the fact that householders are being asked by Irish Water to provide their PPS numbers. Many Deputies have had queries from constituents in that regard. Can the Minister of State tell the House what database is currently being used by Irish Water to contact customers? It has come to my attention that Irish Water has written to the wrong people at the wrong addresses in some instances. I ask for clarification on that question.

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