Just three months on from the suspension of water charges Irish Water is now looking to hire a debt collection company.

The State agency has put out a tender for a firm to start collecting debts owed to it by businesses across the country.

The tender also details the possibility of extending its responsibilities to include the collection of domestic debt, however this is unlikely to occur until the end of the suspension on the charges next year.

A description of the opportunity on the eTenders website reads as follows:

"Provision of legal debt collection services to Irish Water including : • debt collection proceedings in the District, Circuit and High Court for the recovery of overdue non-domestic customer debt for water and waste water charges including ancillary services • debt collection legal services • option to extend services to include debt collection proceedings in the District, Circuit and High Court for the recovery of overdue domestic water and waste water charges."

Irish Water will close the application process for the tender, which is separated into three lots, on November 9.

The tender is broken up based on location with each lot representing a region. Lot one covers the Connaught and Ulster region, Lot two covers the 'Southern' region, while lot three covers the Eastern and Midlands region

The news comes after the water regulator was ordered to reduce its costs by 20pc because they are significantly more expensive than comparable utilities.

Water charges has been a long running dispute amongst Irish taxpayers and political parties. Its introduction led to major protest across cities and towns and has caused arguments between Government.

In September, Taoiseach Enda Kenny rounded on Fianna Fáil for calling on an outright ban on water charges.

Source; Irish Independent, Oct 10,2016

Source: Irish Mirror Nov 7, 2015 by Blanaid Murphy

Food industry sources said eateries nationwide are facing rate hikes and punters will end up forking out as a result

Restaurants are set to start charging for water

Restaurants are set to start billing customers for tap water, the Irish Mirror has learned.

Food industry sources said eateries nationwide are facing rate hikes and punters will end up forking out as a result.

Irish Water confirmed talks are set to begin next week about tariffs for businesses.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland spokesman Adrian Cummins said: “Some restaurants will charge for tap water if commercial water charges increase.

“I would say over 50% will implement the practice.

“Some charge €1 for a large jug or bottle of [tap] water, which is unlimited during the course of the meal.”

Restaurants and pubs have been paying water charges to local authorities for years.

However, since the establishment of Irish Water non-domestic clients are billed on behalf of the hated utility company.

A food industry source revealed: “We have been told by Irish Water to expect increases.

“There are more than 50 different charges in different locations, so one county might have a higher charge than another.”

Irish Water said a consultation process is set to start next week with the regulator but it could take some time before any hikes come into effect.

Spokeswoman Florence White added: “The Commission for Energy Regulation will shortly begin a process to define and agree the appropriate and enduring tariff arrangements for non-domestic customers of Irish Water in the future.”

However, Michael Kilcoyne from the Consumers’ Association of Ireland said being billed for tap water is not going to wash with diners.

He added: “I don’t think it would go down very well. It would be like charging customers for napkins.

“I’d think twice about charging for tap water.”