Murphy calls for Irish Water transparency over bill paying figures

October 22, 2015

Source: http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/1022/736659-murphy-irish-water/

Paul Murphy said public's opposition to Irish Water will be reflected in the general election campaign

Irish Water has said 90% of customers who paid a bill during the first billing cycle have already paid their second bill.

It said 150,000 additional households began paying for the first time during the second billing cycle.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland Mr Murphy said the overall picture was not clear and he called on Irish Water to publish a listing of those who have paid all their bills so a clear analysis can be made.

He said he believed people have been bullied into paying for water charges and politicians will hear about it on the door steps when they campaign for the general election.

"We want them to put up on their website they sent out this many bills for the second bill and this is how many people have paid it and it's in everyone's interests who sees those figures,” said Mr Murphy.

“The reality is that this is a company who can't even give away a €100. They had to extend the deadline after saying they wouldn't again. It just shows the level of opposition that exists to Irish Water. It will be reflected in the election campaign."

Mr Murphy's comments come ahead of tonight's midnight deadline for householders to register for the €100 Water Conservation Grant.

The Department of Social Protection said that by 11.35am this morning 859,034 applications for the grant had been received.

Special garda team to monitor Irish Water protesters in Cork city

October 21, 2015

Evening Echo Oct 21, 2015

GARDAI in Cork have set up a special team to police protests against the installation of water meters.

The team has been up and running since Monday and comprises of a number of members from each of the four garda districts in the Cork city division.

*Gardaí look on as anti water meter protesters prevent the installation of meters on Pearse Road, Ballyphehane this week.*

Garda management have refused to reveal how many is on the team but have rejected claims by the Garda Representative Association that up to 20 personnel are attached to it.
Chief Superintendent Michael Finn said the number of officers assigned to the team will be fluid, depending on activities by protestors in different locations.
On Monday, there was a large garda presence in Ballyphehane when protesters prevented the installation of water meters by Irish Water on Pearse Road.
The standoff continued for several hours before Irish Water and gardaí left the area at approximately 3pm.
It is understood the team has been set up as Irish Water employees work to install meters in parts of the city where there has been most opposition to the meters.

Chief Supt Finn said policing protests against Irish Water employees doing their job is taking gardai from regular policing but he said there is a need for gardai to act in situations where protesters “start interfering with and threatening” staff doing their work.

The Garda Representative Association spokesman for Cork city, Garda Mick Corcoran, said the new team means that garda resources in each district are being affected.

Source http://www.fliuch.org/

Buncrana Together:

This is highly suspicious. What is the task force set up to do? Surely the media should be asking relevant questions.

From what Chief Supt Finn is saying it seems the protesters are being targeted. Is this political policing? The interpretation of the law and common law is highly selective and quite wrong.

People have a right to peaceful assembly and to protest against unjust acts. The Gardai are also being selective with regard to choosing the laws that they use against water meter protesters. Gardai should be there to protect our rights and property e.g the stop cock is our property. Also we have a right to object against the installation of highly suspect smart meters, we have a right to protect ourselves and children against these devices.

The Gardai also should know the law with regards to workplaces, they have no right to arrest anyone inside workspace barriers. They have no right to arrest anyone using the Water Services Acts. See http://www.fliuch.org/resources/

There is absolutely no need for any taskforce. It is a total waste of money and resources. Irish Water are the ones who are intransigent and unreasonable. There would be no bother if Irish Water accept the wishes of households who do not want a meter and install only in properties whose owners want a meter. However, we would appeal to these owners to think carefully about the hazards of the meters and what effect they will have on the community. Water meters have nothing to do with water charges and everything to do with control and charging more money.

Paul Murphy's FOI request concerning payment of Irish Water bills finally gets answered after 5 months

October 20, 2015

It has taken 5 months for Paul Murphy to finally get an answer to his Freedom of Information request on 18th May, 2015, concerning the number of household that paid Irish Water's first bill.

See thejournal.ie article of May 28th, 2015 'Irish Water thinks it’s better you don’t know how many bills have been paid' for full story of Paul Murphy's effort to get a simple question answered.

The Reply to Paul Murphy

Paul Murphy published this letter in Anti Austerity Alliance's facebook page on Oct 20, 2015. He said

"Remember when Enda Kenny refused to give us the payment levels and told us to "toddle along" to Irish Water? Remember when they refused to answer as well? Remember that then they refused an FOI request? Remember a question to Minister Alan Kelly about it was ruled out of order for no good reason by the Ceann Comhairle?

Now we know why.... Five months later, after an appeal, we have the figures from Irish Water for payment levels on 18 May. 30% payment - 70% non-payment. No wonder they wouldn't tell us, they had to try to bully some more into paying.

Now, what journalists and others should be asking is, why haven't they released the payment levels for the second bill? Instead of doing that, they have talked about "projected" levels of payment. They don't need to do any projecting - just tell us how many have paid the second bill."

Mr Murphy explained on the same page that the letter was signed Ervia because "Ervia is state owned, Irish Water is a subsidiary of it. That's why they signed off on the letter."