Irish Water's €1m bill for travel

July 4, 2016

Staff at embattled utility clocked up over 1.7 million kilometres in one year

*The under-fire semi-state company, which has been ravaged by controversy since its establishment, defended the spending and said the figure accounted for 3,641 work-related trips*

Irish Water staff racked up a bill of nearly €1m last year on planes, trains and automobiles, the Sunday Independent can reveal.

Staff at the embattled utility clocked up more than 1.7 million kilometres while on duty in 2015, ultimately costing €874,751.18.

This substantial bill included all money spent on public transport, as well as flights, mileage and taxi fares for Irish Water employees last year.

Almost 90pc of the total - some €780,000 - pertained specifically to "car travel expenses", which according to Irish Water, included claims from staff submitted for "mileage, toll charges and car parking expenses".

A total of €15,542 was spent on flights, while €67,686.61 was spent on trains, Luas and bus fares, according to documents released to the Sunday Independent through a Freedom of Information request.

A separate €11,982 was spent on taxis by Irish Water in 2015, an average of almost €1,000 per month.

The under-fire semi-state company, which has been ravaged by controversy since its establishment, defended the spending and said the figure accounted for 3,641 work-related trips.

However, this means that each trip cost an average of almost €237 each.

Irish Water defended the bill and said the company's policy stipulates that its 700 staff in 14 different locations should use "public transport where possible and use their own car only when absolutely necessary".

It said: "Journeys by car, subsequently claimed back in expenses, should only be undertaken when there is absolutely no suitable option available on public transport.

"Travel expenses are paid upfront by the employee and claimed back as an itemised business expense. Receipts must be provided before an expense claim can be signed off by a supervisor."

Of the €15,542 spent on flights, the company said they were all booked in economy class and at the lowest available price.

It added: "All of the flights were taken within Europe, well over half of them were to the UK.

"Personnel travelled to attend expert conferences, visit other water utilities and to attend meetings with the purpose of developing best practice in Irish Water and to share our expertise around operational issues and asset management, among other business concerns.

"All flights were economy class and booked to take advantage of the lowest available fare."

Original article; Emma Jane Hade, Sunday Independent, July 3, 2016

Water charges body chair slams left-wing politicians' stance

July 4, 2016

The chairman of the new water charges expert commission has slammed left- wing politicians’ views and also said Revenue could examine taking over collection of the levy.

Commission chairman Joe O’Toole said he favours paying household charges and furthermore, there are “bundles of money” in Ireland which can be invested in Irish Water.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, the former trade union chief also admitted the commission may collapse if an election was called at any stage during its five-month term.

His comments come ahead of Housing Minister Simon Coveney travelling to Brussels this week to outline Ireland’s plan to suspend water charges to Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella.

Mr O’Toole said he was a strong supporter of the ‘polluter pays’ principle, which is backed by the Fine Gael government and Brussels. But he had strong views of left-wing campaigners, who want charges scrapped and services paid for equally through general taxation.

“I find it extraordinary that people who present themselves as being left-wing politicians are opposed to things like property tax, are opposed to polluter pays, are of a view that if you have two or three cars and a swimming pool you should be paying the same water tax as somebody next door.”

Asked if the likes of AAA-PBP TD Paul Murphy was “wrong” on their stance on water charges, Mr O’Toole said: “Completely and utterly wrong on the issue, that it is fair in society that people with three cars and a swimming pool pay the same water tax as someone, a person who is barely struggling on a minimum wage.”

The former ICTU president said the commission, likely to hold hearings in the autumn, would ask Revenue to examine the collection of water charges or tying them into another.

“I will talk to Revenue, it’s rollover. There’s the property tax, the waste tax, the water tax, your television licence,” he said.

“There may well be a way that we can fold or should consider folding some of the charges together. What I would like to explore with Revenue are what are the various options.”

Asked if this included Revenue taking over the collection of charges, he said: “That may well be an option to be considered.”

Mr O’Toole said the commission could hear from protest groups and political leaders.

It will be examining what pay model to support Irish Water. One option could be to “try and convince somebody to buy an Irish Water bond”, said Mr O’Toole.

“There are bundles of money in this country at the moment trying to find a home.”

Original article; Juno McEnroe, Irish Examiner, July 4,2016

Expert on the Water Framework Directive contradicts Government Ministers and EU Commisioner

July 3, 2016

In an interview on RTE This Week, July 3, 2016, Mr Ray Earle, an expert on the Water Framework Directive, says there is nothing in the Directive that says Ireland has to apply a direct billing scheme.

Mr Earle's view contradicts a recent communication from the European Environment Commissioner, Karmenu Vella to MEP Marian Harkin, in which he stated that Ireland no longer had an exemption from water charges, see article EC: Ireland has no exemption from Water Charges. In the communication Mr Vella also implied that the Commission could initiate infringement proceedings against Ireland if it abandons water charges.

Mr Vella's interpretation of the Water Framework Directive and his threats were recently pounced on by several Government Ministers in their condemnation of Anti Water Charge campaigners both in the media and in Dáil Éireann.

In fact both the present Fine Gael and former Fine Gael/Labour governments have used this Brussels' stick for quite some time. Now Water Charges turns out to be another austerity measure agreed by the Irish Government and the Troika.

For a full explanation see Marian Harkin's article 'Use it or Lose it'