Crossroad Blues - Conservation Grant, Will We, Won't We Sign Pact

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above, "Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please"

Cross Road Blues by Robert Johnson.  The Crossroads  refers to the singer's choice between  the good path or the dark paths.  Unfortunately for Bob he chose the dark.  He feared he would sell his soul  to the Devil.

What's all this to do about water charges, Irish Water and choices, you may wonder?   Well according to the Irish Times newspaper, Irish Ministers at their weekly Cabinet meeting on 1st April 2015,  finally approved the process by which households receive a €100 annual  'Conservation Grant'.  Depending on which side of the fence you are on, whether you support Irish Water or you oppose it,  the choice you make will either be the right one or wrong one, the dark path or good path. 

Would it be fair to say that the Government hopes this very generous giveaway, possibly €180,000,000 per year, will entice households, who are sitting on the fence,  to come over to their side?  Yes, it would be fair, because if the necessary amount of households sign up then that would give the Government the numbers to tip a forthcoming Eurostat market test in favour of Irish Water. 

Ah no, that's being cynical!  Surely  the Government is giving  the Conservation Grant to  " promote sustainable use of water and to enhance water conservation in households." (www.welfare.ie)  Yes, that's it, not only is the grant a financial temptation, it is also a civic duty where you will be helping 'sustainability'.  But an angel of light cometh and like Adam & Eve you could be lured by a nice juicy €100 apple.

You are now at the crossroads and you have to make the choice.  The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly has produced the apple and we have been given until June 30th to choose whether to bite, sign a pact and accept an annual €100 'Water Conservation Grant'. 

Is that it?   No not really.  You have a couple of more pacts to complete.  First you have to sign a registration form with Irish Water which will give you a unique number.  After that you have to sign and complete a registration form with the Department of Social Protection before August 2015.  The Department's form will ask you to supply details of the unique Irish Water's customer number, your bank account information and PPS numbers.  

Is that it?   Well not really.  That remains to be seen because there are seismic rumblings within the European Commission about whether the 'Conservation Grant' would affect the funding model for Irish Water. (The Journal) This could and should affect a forthcoming Eurostat market test on the viability of Irish Water.  However, the angel of light has legions standing in the shadow in the form of the IMF waiting with bigger, redder, juicier apples. (TodayFM)

Is that it?  Well no not really.  There are also  the discretionary functions bestowed on the Government by  the Water Services Act 2014 that may come into play. (irishstatutebook)  These so-called discretionary functions have been amply demonstrated by the ever moving Irish Water registration deadlines.  Who is to say that this will not happen again.

Robert Johnson 1911-1938

Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down
Standin' at the crossroad, baby, eee, eee, risin' sun goin' down
I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down

Buncrana Together April 06, 2015

Reported Sanctions Did Not Materialise, Government at Loggerheads

The controversial rumours  that the Government will bring in legislation allowing Irish Water deduct water bills directly from wages and welfare payments of people who refuse to pay water charges,  failed to materialise this week at the Fine Gael/Labour Government Cabinet meeting, 1st April 2015, Irish Times.  We have been given another fortnight, it seems, until the next Cabinet meeting to see if the media's hyperbole  'stronger compliance measures',  'fast track courts', 'attachment of earnings' or 'new legislation' will in fact come true.

Alan Kelly Minister for Environment

After  Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment in an interview  on  Morning Ireland  23rd March 2015 said  “we will bring in legislation to deal with people who won't pay their water charges”,  the media frenzy began.  Next day there was speculation that the Government was planning this and that sanction against defaulters.   The number of defaulters is still unknown unless you believe Irish Water or Government figures.  The real number of households registered with Irish Water is anyone's  guess.  Really this number can not be verified unless there is full transparency in Irish Water's facts and figures.  

Spin Doctors and the Media
The media, like birds picking over bones, quickly escalated the threats from Mr Kelly.  Using it's mass media tools,  they informed the public that new penalties were going to be brought in by the Government against people who did not pay their bills.  Before you knew it the country was once again embroiled in controversy,  threats, misinformation and speculation.  A state the country has been in since the formation of  Irish Water Ltd under the Water Services Act which was made law on 20th March 2013.

The Independent.ie said "the Government plans to introduce tough new rules which will allow judges to order employers, pension funds and the Department of Social Protection to take the unpaid charge directly from income in the event of non-payment."
The Media, quite often in relation to the Irish Water issue,  used 'sources' in order to substantiate their claims.  Who in fact these sources were is not given but we can speculate that  the information came from spin doctors within government itself.  However, it was often the case that quotes were direct statements from government or Irish Water spokespersons who gave their views as to what this or that may happen.
After the media's warning of impending sanction, it now turns out that these sanctions were not so immediate after all.  We have once again been put on tenterhooks for another couple of weeks to find out if the spin will be substantiated. The Irish Times   said that "it is likely they will be discussed at the next meeting of ministers in a fortnight's time.

 Buncrana Together could just as easily quote our sources as saying that the Government coalition is at loggerheads over water charges.  Even though there may be grains of truth in articles, it does not necessarily mean  that it is fact or it will happen.  Or if say Irish Water or the Government was reported as saying that the deadline for registration with Irish Water is such and such date, would you believe that?    There can be ulterior motives for spinning a line or two, such as creating doubt and panic in the public's minds thus trying to affect the outcome.  In this case from the amount of statements about the Government and Irish Water being satisfied with the number of people signing up with Irish Water, it is obvious what the motives are.  The Government and Irish Water arenot satisfied at all,   they are worried.

Some Media Showing Light
The Tanaiste Joan Burton,  was quoted in The Irish Examiner  "it would be deeply problematic  to deduct from welfare claimants who are unwilling to pay water charges"

Enda Kenny said in same article  while trying to back up Alan Kelly that  “There is a need for compliance and people to understand there will be equality in regard to compliance and that everybody who can pay should and will pay.”

Although The Irish Times  did not elaborate  they said in this article " the introduction of attachment orders, especially in relation to welfare payments, has not met with universal approval within the Government parties and there have been discussions in recent weeks around these issues.

From statements like these it seems Mr Kelly and some media have jumped the gun.

 BeYourOwnReason  in Medium.com called it a 'Dangerous precedent' and said  " The Master of the High Court has warned “fast-track” court procedures — under which banks get final money judgements solely on a judge’s view of the credibility of any sworn written defence — may breach the entitlements of defendants under the European Convention on Human Rights (link)

And of course Buncrana Together "  No matter the outcome, after today's statements the government will either be seen as dishonest and vindictive or they will be seen as introducing yet another piece of draconian legislation in response to the popularity of the anti-water charges campaign."

Buncrana Together April 6, 2015

Irish Water Colour of Hall Door Needed To Get Right Water Bill

Customers of Irish Water are being asked to tell the utility the colour of their front door and provide details of their neighbours’ property in a bid to get the right bills to the right people.
Irish Water has admitted it is seeking help in matching some of its water meters to the right house on their datatbase due to the high number of properties here with similar addresses.

The company said that it is working to match some 50,000 meters to the right home after it emerged that a customer was asked to identify the colour of her front door and gate in an attempt to help Irish Water establish which meter was linked to her house.

“Around 40% of Irish addresses are non-unique,” Elizabeth Arnett, head of communications at Irish Water, said.
“These are predominantly in rural Ireland where people give their townland as their address, but in some towns some addresses could be given as ‘Main Street’ for example,” she said.
Ms Arnett said having put in some 500,000 meters, the utility found that 40% of the addresses are non-unique and that Irish Water is working on establishing the correct house for 10% of these.

Elizabeth Arnett Irish Water spokesperson

By way of example, Ms Arnett said that the utility found two people with the same name and date of birth living in adjacent houses in the same rural location. Both only gave the townland as their home address.
The issue arose after one rural-based Irish Water customer contacted the company to enquire as to how they were certain that the correct meter was linked to their home.
“Each Irish Water meter installed at the outside stop valve has an individual number which is linked to the property it is attached to.
“When you registered your property you also receive an application number which identifies your property. However, as your address is what we call a ‘non-unique address’, meaning that one or more other properties in your area share the same address. This means that we are unable to pinpoint your property on our system,” the email from the company read.

Photo from Fliuch Off

 

The Irish Water representative then went on to ask that the customer supply identifying features such as:

The colour of the property.
The colour of the door.
Details about their neighbours’ properties.
The colour of the gate.
The side of the road the property is on and for
any directions from nearest town or landmark.
  

 

 

Meanwhile, the CSO has “provisionally” placed Irish Water on the Government’s balance sheet, in a further sign of uncertainty over whether it will pass EU financial tests or if it can be considered an off-the-books company.
Irish Water can only be classed as a private firm — meaning the full €500m cost will not fall on the exchequer — if it passes strict Eurostat financial tests in May, which were originally due to take place this month.
However, these tests are solely dependent on whether the body can prove the majority of its funding comes from non-state, private income — a key reason for the Government’s recent increased push for people to pay water charges.
The CSO report stressed the move to place Irish Water on the balance sheet is preliminary, while a Government spokesperson said the Coalition remains “absolutely confident” it will pass the financial tests.
However, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said it is ludicrous to think this will be the case.

Irish Examiner Saturday April 4th 2015