Water Charges Administration

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Ceisteanna (402)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

402. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the total and county breakdown of unpaid non-domestic water charges due to each local authority; if the charges due will be transferred to Irish Water; if local authorities will be paid by Irish Water for these charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6678/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of eligible liabilities from local authorities to Irish Water. The Act provides for such transfers to be designated in a Ministerial Order.

A Working Group including representatives of my Department, the Water Services Transition Office and Irish Water is currently considering the issues involved in the transfer of liabilities from local authorities to Irish Water. It is expected that following completion of the 2013 Annual Financial Statements and finalisation of closing balances as at 31 December 2013, guidance will issue to local authorities in relation to the data required to complete the necessary Ministerial Orders.

A total of €156,019,418 was owed to local authorities in respect of unpaid non-domestic water charges at the end of 2011, the latest year for which full audited data are available.

A county breakdown of the information requested is set out in the table.

County	2011 €
Carlow	591,811
Cavan	1,919,763
Clare	10,508,851
Cork	15,611,435
Donegal	11,755,606
Dublin	39,001,463
Galway	6,928,683
Kerry	2,696,498
Kildare	6,884,890
Kilkenny	1,432,227
Laois	1,545,032
Leitrim	1,078,679
Limerick	5,008,926
Longford	1,217,484
Louth	8,768,212
Mayo	5,240,996
Meath	4,604,427
Monaghan	1,045,398
Offaly	2,346,060
Roscommon	2,124,367
Sligo	3,337,601
Tipperary	3,132,481
Waterford	3,477,257
Westmeath	3,119,565
Wexford	8,334,271
Wicklow	4,307,434
Total	156,019,418