Irish Water calls are ‘intimidation’

Anti-Irish Water campaigners have claimed the utility’s plan to cold call customers over unpaid bills is a “desperate” form of “intimidation” aimed solely at increasing its “embarrassing” payment numbers.

The Right2Water organisation and opposition parties issued the response despite Irish Water insisting the calls are simply to advise customers they risk potentially high bills if they continue to ignore the charges.

Under moves confirmed after a damaging month for the utility, which has seen it fail key financial independence tests and receive just 46% of payments, Irish Water last week began calling customers to remind them of their unpaid bills.