17,400 duped into signing up to Irish Water

More than 17,000 people have been duped into signing up to Irish Water, despite returning packs to say they have no interest in the company.

Latest figures from the under-fire utility show that of the 2m households to receive registration packs, a small but significant number have effectively been fooled into agreeing to be charged.

A reported 870,000 people have sent the documents back to Irish Water, with the vast majority providing details allowing them to be signed up as a customer of the company.