Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is a current year payment from 2014 figures. Whether a similar bonus will be paid next year will again depend on the availability of sufficient savings in next year’s social protection Vote.

Water

The establishment of Irish Water is a necessary measure to put the provision of this critical resource on a long term sustainable footing. Securing a quality water supply, as everybody in the House knows, is critical both for individual families and for the businesses which rely on quality water for jobs. However, the Government recognises that this measure is the last in a series of measures that have imposed burdens on the Irish people. To that end, we are determined to alleviate this burden. My colleague, the Minister for Finance, has already announced a new tax allowance to reduce the water burden on working families. To complement that move, I can confirm a new water subsidy worth €100 per annum for all recipients of the household benefits package as previously announced. In addition, this is being expanded to include all recipients of the free fuel allowance schemes who are not already covered by the household benefits package.

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