Final Oireachtas Water Committee Report 12th April 2017

Unfortunately we can only put this up at present.  However, we do know that this final report has been voted on and agreed by a majority of politicians on the Oireachtas Water Committee including Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. 

Unfortunately we do not know the voting details or indeed details of what exactly happened in the Committee in the interimbetween the publication of a previous 'draft report', which was hailed a 'victory' by anti water charges committee members and this report which involved some type of an agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.  

From events and political maneuverings on all sides,  in particular, over the past fortnight but even over the lifespan of the Oireachtas Water Committee it is advisable not to jump to conclusions but sift through details as we find them. 

 
 

Fianna Fáil does a deal on Water Charges with Fine Gael

According to RTÉ News 28 mins ago "The Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services has passed its final report, which includes changes recommended in legal advice to the committee."

We have not received or are privy to this so called final report but when we do we will put it up.  No doubt the devil is in the detail and from what we are being fed so far about words being changed like 'Fines' to 'Levy', for example,  we are in for many of these little devils.

This Committee has never really been about what it said on the tin e.g1) It was a public process.  Wrong!  Most submissions, business and dealings were done behind the scenes and closed doors.,  2) Last week the committee agreed a 'Draft Report',  Wrong!  It was not a final 'draft report' after all, no one voted for it, and no one is saying who wrote it.  But apparently this report is the real thing. 

So far the following is the only definite response we have but can you believe it?

FF Welcomes Deal to End Water Charges

11th April 2017

Following agreement of a report from the Special Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Housing, Planning & Local Government Barry Cowen TD commented, “There has been much posturing and much debate on the issue of water over recent days and weeks.  However, when the smoke clears, the outcome of this process is clear – the hated water charges regime introduced by the last Government, and all the contradictions and unfairness attached to it, is now gone. I and my Party welcome that outcome.

“The report agreed today is essentially the same report that was agreed over a week ago and provides for a fair system where those who abuse our water service are financially penalised, but water charges for 92% of the population have been eliminated.  Those who are identified as using excess volumes of water will have the opportunity to address that and it is our belief that as behaviour changes, the number of households identified as wilfully abusing water will decrease further.

“Under the deal agreed today, excess use / wilful abuse of water will be set at 1.7 times the average daily use of each individual.  The expert and agreed view is that in Ireland, the average daily use of an individual is 133 litres.  Legislation will now be brought forward by the Government formalising the agreement reached here and Fianna Fáil will be making sure that the deal reached is fully reflected by strengthening the Water Services Act 2007. Now that that agreement has been reached it will give more time for the Dáil to prioritise Housing and other areas to improve people’s lives”.

Source: https://www.fiannafail.ie/ff-welcomes-deal-to-end-water-charges/

Irish Water party till the cows come home

Original article by Mark O'Regan, Irish Independent April 10 2017 entitled;

Irish Water staff share €3m bonus despite 'overly high costs' at utility

Image: Irish Independent - click to enlarge

Abridged article

In January, the Commission for Energy Regulation, which oversees Irish Water, said overall costs at the utility remained excessively high.

Following the suspension of water charges last year, the Government is compensating for this loss of revenue by allocating funds from central taxation to the company.

This will pay for a major capital investment programme up to 2021. Overall, the modernisation of our water system will cost billions over the next five years, according to expert analysis. Irish Water was projected to collect around €275m this year and next in domestic charges.

The scrapping of charges will mean the shortfall must be met from general taxation.

The €275m figure equates to almost €60 being taken from every man, woman and child in the country to replace the unpopular charge. The State already pays around €500m a year to Irish Water to fund day-to-day ­operations.

Meanwhile, figures also show €382,110 has been spent on engineering and environmental services, linked to controversial proposals by Irish Water to build a 170km pipeline from Shannon, Co Clare, to Dublin. There are about 500 landowners along the route, which will pass through Clare, Offaly, and Kildare, before ending in Peamount, west Dublin.

Both construction and operational costs are expected to top €1.2bn. Roughly 85pc of the pipeline runs through agricultural land. The company has insisted this scheme is necessary to service the greater Dublin population, which will rise from 1.5 million, to around 2.1 million by 2050.

Irish Water has received 524 submissions on the plan following consultations with relevant stakeholders. The utility needs funding of €8bn ­between 2017 and 2021, made up of €3.9bn to complete the €5.5bn capital investment programme, and the remainder to fund operating costs.

Full article: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/irish-water-staff-share-3m-bonus-despite-overly-high-costs-at-utility-35607221.html