asked the Minister for the Environment if abatement of water charges are confined to recipients of social welfare benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Water Charge Abatement.
296.
The abatement of water charges is not so confined. Under the provisions of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 1983, local authorities are empowered to waive all or a portion of a water charge on the grounds of personal hardship. The operation of the waiver provision is the determination of the criteria to be applied and the application of those criteria in assessing hardship in individual cases is a matter for each local authority concerned. Following enactment of the legislation to which I have referred local authorities were asked to examine applications for waivers of domestic charges on their merits and in a sympathetic and considerate manner.