Landlords can evict tenants for water bills

A junior minister has effectively admitted that Irish Water amendments will allow landlords to evict tenants if they fail to pay water charges.

Paudie Coffey, minister of state at the Department of Environment, confirmed the situation after a series of proposed changes to the Irish Water Act were published on Thursday amid opposition claims that the moves are being sneaked in through the back door.

The Waterford-based Fine Gael minister rejected criticism of the changes, which were among 33 pages of amendments to the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which deals with a series of department-related matters.