Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2016
831. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline his plans to recoup the €100 water conservation grant from recipients who have not paid the water charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1140/16]
View answerThe Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) Regulations 2015 governed the operation of the 2015 Water Conservation Grant scheme. Under regulation 5(1) a person who registered with Irish Water, as required under section 5(2)(a) of the Water Services Act 2014, on or before 30 June 2015 was eligible to receive the grant in 2015 if they were normally resident at the principal private residence on that date.
I have no proposals to amend the regulations which governed the 2015 Water Conservation Grant scheme. There is no direct relationship between payment of domestic water charges and eligibility for the Water Conservation Grant. The grant is funded by the Exchequer and is a payment to all eligible households, including non-Irish Water customers, to promote water conservation in the home.
If a customer does not pay their water charges, late payment provisions automatically apply, unless the customer enters into a payment plan. In the case of a One Adult Household (capped at €160), €30 will be added to any bill where outstanding payments equate to the total annual payment and remain unpaid for 3 months or more. An additional €30 will be added on every anniversary of the original add on date while the bill remains unpaid or a payment plan has not been entered into with Irish Water. In the case of a Two Adult Household (capped at €260), €60 will be added and again at each anniversary. The late payment charges will only apply where someone is in arrears for more than 12 months and has not entered into a payment plan with Irish Water. Payment plans will be developed based on an ability to pay and it is important to note that the late payment charges are focused on those who “will not pay”, rather than those who cannot pay.
A range of flexible payment options are available. Irish Water will facilitate bill payment through direct debit, electronic funds transfer and payment by cash at any retail outlet with a Paypoint or Payzone sign, or at a post office where a bill can be paid in full or part payments of a minimum of €5 can be made. Irish Water is also participating in the Household Budget scheme. This facility, operated by An Post on behalf of the Department of Social Protection, provides customers with a facility to have their household utility bills and social housing rents deducted directly from their weekly social welfare payment.
Any customers who have unpaid water charges can be pursued through the Courts by Irish Water for the sums due. The Civil Debt (Procedures) Act 2015, allows creditors to apply to the Court for an order enabling either attachment of earnings or deduction from social welfare payments, as appropriate, for the purposes of enforcing debt.
