Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Since 1 January Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The occupier of a property is liable to pay the water charges bill and legislation provides that the owner is the occupier unless the contrary is proved. Irish Water is providing landlords with the opportunity to prove that they are not the occupiers by providing tenants’ names. This will allow Irish Water to contact tenants to complete the registration and bill them thereafter.

The tenant will have to register with Irish Water to avail of the water conservation grant or to get lower charges than the default capped charge, €260, where they are single adult occupants or their metered usage is less than the maximum charge.

Draft legislation which I will bring forward will place certain obligations on landlords where the tenant has not paid charges. In the case of local authority tenants where deposit arrangements do not apply, a customer is in arrears for more than 12 months and a late payment fee has accrued, Irish Water, having first provided the customer with the opportunity to pay the arrears or enter into a payment plan, will advise the local authority concerned of the amount of the arrears. It is envisaged that the legislation would provide for the local authority to recover the amount outstanding over a 12-month period and to remit the amount involved to Irish Water.

These scenarios can be avoided by entering into a payment plan with Irish Water, which I encourage everyone to do. Various easy-pay options will be made available through post offices or other payment providers. The overall net cost for those who register is either €1.15 per week for a single adult household or €3 per week for all others. Water supply will not be reduced under any circumstances, as I have made quite clear already publicly.

My Department will be consulting with the local government sector, social housing providers and landlord and tenant representatives in the course of drafting the necessary legislation to give effect to the measures proposed.

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