Vol. 346 No. 3
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that at least one county council is threatening to disconnect water supplies of householders who have failed to pay water charges; if he approves of this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
300.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state in respect of each county council and county borough council: (a) the water charges fixed, and whether they are on a fixed or sliding scale; (b) the amount of money which will be raised; (c) the hardship criteria applicable; (d) the categories of householders exempted; (e) the procedures available for collecting from defaulters; and (f) if any council has the authority to disconnect a water supply for failure to pay.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 300 together. My Department have asked all sanitary authorities to submit details of proposed domestic water charges to be levied by the authorities in 1983. I enclose a table prepared on the basis of replies received to date, giving details on the lines requested by the Deputy.
I am also enclosing a table setting out projections of 1983 revenue from water charges supplied by local authorities to my Department in connection with the local authority estimates 1983.
The introduction and operation of domestic water charges waiver schemes is primarily a matter for each sanitary authority. The criteria applied in assessing hardship in individual cases is also a matter for each authority. I would, however, emphasise that I have asked authorities generally to examine applications for waivers of domestic charges on their merits and in a sympathetic and considerate matter.
All sanitary authorities have been asked to submit details of domestic water charges waiver schemes to my Department. On the basis of replies received to date it would appear that a number of authorities are prepared to waive domestic water charges for persons dependent on old age pensions, for certain other social welfare recipients and for persons outside these categories to whom personal hardship would arise from the payment of domestic water charges.
The procedures for collecting water charges may vary from one local authority to another. The general practice appears to be for the issue by post of a demand. Water charges, if unpaid after two months from the date on which they became payable, are recoverable by local authorities as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.
Local authorities are empowered by section 65 A (9) of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, as inserted in that Act by section 7 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962, to discontinue a water supply where a charge remains unpaid after the expiration of two months after the charge has become payable. As the power to discontinue water supplies in the case of non-payment of water charges is a discretionary one, it is a matter for each local authority to decide whether or not to discontinue a water supply.
Proposed Domestic Water Charges — 1983
|
County Council |
|
|
Carlow |
£25 per dwelling |
|
Cavan |
£30 per dwelling |
|
Clare |
£30 per dwelling |
|
Cork (N) |
£35 per dwelling |
|
Cork (S) |
From £25 to £45 depending on valuation of premises supplied |
|
Cork (W) |
£37 per dwelling |
|
Donegal |
Not available |
|
Dublin |
£30 per dwelling |
|
Galway |
£35 per dwelling |
|
Kerry |
£35 per dwelling |
|
Kildare |
£25 per dwelling |
|
Kilkenny |
£50 per dwelling |
|
Laois |
£30 per dwelling |
|
Leitrim |
£25 per dwelling |
|
Limerick |
From £20 to £35 depending on valuation of premises supplied |
|
Longford |
Not available |
|
Louth |
£40 (originally proposed by Manager — information not available as to whether this charge finally adopted) |
|
Mayo |
£45 per dwelling |
|
Meath |
£30 per dwelling |
|
Monaghan |
£40 per dwelling |
|
Offaly |
£35 per dwelling |
|
Roscommon |
£20 per dwelling |
|
Sligo |
Not available |
|
Tipperary (N.R.) |
Not available |
|
Tipperary (S.R.) |
£45 per dwelling |
|
Waterford |
Not available |
|
Westmeath |
£40 per dwelling |
|
Wexford |
£50 per dwelling |
|
Wicklow |
£22 per dwelling |
|
County Borough Corporation |
|
|
Cork |
£30 for local authority households and £30 to £85 for non local authority households depending on valuation |
|
Dublin |
From £30 to £50 depending on valuation of premises supplied |
|
Limerick |
Not available |
|
Waterford |
Not available |
Projected Revenue from Water Charges — 1983 (Local Authority Estimates)
|
County Council |
£ |
|
Carlow |
87,000 |
|
Cavan |
120,460 |
|
Clare |
477,781 |
|
Cork |
3,227,150 |
|
Donegal |
871,850 |
|
Dublin |
2,440,000 |
|
Galway |
483,657 |
|
Kerry |
743,000 |
|
Kildare |
660,000 |
|
Kilkenny |
572,850 |
|
Laois |
275,000 |
|
Leitrim |
90,000 |
|
Limerick |
620,000 |
|
Longford |
165,000 |
|
Louth |
270,000 |
|
Mayo |
412,019 |
|
Meath |
340,000 |
|
Monaghan |
41,333 |
|
Offaly |
210,000 |
|
Roscommon |
295,200 |
|
Sligo |
135,000 |
|
Tipperary (N.R.) |
238,000 |
|
Tipperary (S.R.) |
964,000 |
|
Waterford |
450,000 |
|
Westmeath |
598,000 |
|
Wexford |
790,000 |
|
Wicklow |
165,000 |
|
County Borough Corporation |
|
|
Cork |
893,700 |
|
Dublin |
3,998,000 |
|
Limerick |
525,000 |
|
Waterford |
98,000 |
