Written answers

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Water Charges

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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358. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his estimate of the cost of reimbursing those who have paid their domestic water charges to Irish Water, net of the amount already paid to persons under the water conservation grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27367/16]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water customer billing and collection levels are a matter for the utility and one in which I have no function. Irish Water has published information on bill payment levels on its website at www.water.ie, which indicates that some €162.5 million had been collected in domestic water charges to the end of its 5thbilling cycle.

Costs associated with the collection or reimbursement of domestic water charges by Irish Water would be an operational matter for the company. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.

The 2015 water conservation grant was a universal payment to support water conservation in the home and was available to all householders in respect of their principal private residence, who had registered details of their water services with Irish Water before 30 June 2015. A detailed breakdown between grants paid to Irish Water and non-Irish Water customers is not available.

To date, the Department of Social Protection, which administers the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of my Department, has made grant payments totalling €89,009,000 in respect of the 2015 Water Conservation Grant. A small number of residual payments continue to be made to householders who have an entitlement to the 2015 Water Conservation Grant.

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