David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The point is that only people who are deemed to be customers of Irish Water can use the dispute resolution service. We do not agree with that because we believe the Minister is deeming everybody now to be a customer and unless people register, they cannot use it. We are not talking about any and every complaint. Section 8(1) states: "Subject to this section, the Commission shall provide a dispute resolution service to any customer of Irish Water having an unresolved complaint relating to Irish Water ..." and section 8(4)(iii) refers to their having exhausted all other options. However, it later states that it disregards people who are not customers. Essentially, the Minister is saying he is making the dispute resolution service available only to people who have registered or are deemed to be customers. We are objecting to that because we do not believe it is fair. It is using a stick to entice people to sign up.