Coalition ‘bluffing’ on unpaid water charges

Anti-water charge TDs have claimed the Government is bluffing over threats to deduct non-payments from wages and benefits.

Such a move would not be possible, it was suggested, as involving the Revenue in that way would undermine efforts to present Irish Water as an entity financially separate from Government.

Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy made the claim as he called for a mass boycott of the charge as the first bills hit households.

“This is all bluff and bluster from the Government because they know that the argument for non-payment is very strong because of the absence of penalties.

“They have tried to create the impression, extremely disingenuously, that they could take the money from people’s wages, or social welfare, or pensions; they can’t because Irish Water does not have the power of Revenue.

“It can’t be given the power of Revenue, if they did it would fail the Eurostat test. The most they can do is introduce some sort of fast- track court process,” Mr Murphy told Newstalk.

LISTEN BACK: @paulmurphyAAA on water charges: "There is no consequence for not paying" @PatKennyNT http://t.co/l8FJPYlqcW #ntfm

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) April 8, 2015

Under present rules, people would have to miss four payments before penalty charges of up to €60 are imposed, meaning no fines would be active until July next year, after the looming general election.

Sinn Féin tried to seize the anti-water charge initiative from left-wing rivals by unveiling a bill intended to repeal the levy.

The party’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty denied the move was an election stunt.

“This is the bill that Sinn Féin will introduce to get rid of Irish Water.

“We have committed to scrapping the charges if in a position to do so after the next election,” Mr Doherty said.

You can read our Repeal Bill to scrap the water charges here: http://t.co/6UkkupEZQP @PearseDoherty pic.twitter.com/9GtgLiZySi

— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) April 8, 2015

Environment Minister Alan Kelly is to bring beefed-up penalty measures to Cabinet in the coming weeks, with Government sources signalling that attachment orders on income could form part of that.

A spokesperson for Mr Kelly said: “Eurostat make their own decisions and it is impossible for Deputy Murphy, or anybody else, to anticipate how they make their decisions.”

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