PAC accuses Irish Water of ‘shortchanging’ the taxpayer

Irish Water has been accused of "shortchanging" the public after millions of euro more in taxpayer payments to the controversial body were revealed.

The claim was made during a four-hour grilling of Department of Environment officials by the Dáil’s public accounts committee, which has again called on the State’s independent financial watchdog to be allowed undertake an in-depth examination into what exactly the new group is spending the money on.

Under intense questioning from PAC chair John McGuinness, the department’s new secretary general, John McCarthy, and assistant secretary general, Maria Graham, confirmed that, over the next three years the taxpayer will provide Irish Water with €650m for “network” repairs.