Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The amendments widen the scope for applying charges to premises that have no meters. I agree with Senator Cummins. There will be a two-tier system until all the meters are installed. One group of people will pay based on usage while another group will pay a standing charge prescribed by Irish Water. That is unfair. Someone without a meter could use 5,000 litres of water a month while someone who is metered could use the same volume but pay a grossly different amount. I agree it is fairer to charge using a metering system but this should not be done until all of the meters have been installed. Surely logic and common sense should prevail in this regard. A three-year metering contract is being rolled out throughout the State. I am not sure when that is due to conclude - perhaps the end of 2015 - but according to the briefing given by departmental officials, bills for the final quarter of 2014 will issue in January 2015. When the first bills issue, how many of 1.36 million housing units in existence, according to the most recent census, will have a meter?