Taxpayers treated with contempt

The recent revelation that €100m of taxpayers’ money has already been spent in setting up Irish Water with much more to follow is an outrageous scandal and an expression of outright contempt towards the taxpayer and the consumer.

It seems that all of the family home tax to be collected in 2014 will also be diverted to setting up Irish Water.

It is ironic to think that we are paying a tax to set up a company whose sole purpose is to tax us further.

When Bord Gáis was given the franchise to set up Irish Water we were led to believe by a government minister that “establishing a new water utility under the umbrella of a mature semi-state company makes best use of existing resources and capabilities”. If that is the case, why then has €50m been squandered on consultancy fees, with a further €35m to come?

We were also told that “the establishment of Irish Water was in line with government plans to support economic growth by eliminating waste and duplication in public spending through rationalising state services”.

Obviously the management of Irish Water does not hold the same view as it appears that they seem to be part of another golden circle quango set up by government that is not accountable to anybody.

This ought to be considered one of the most obscene king of quangos that was ever established in this country. It was totally wrong to remove the management of water provision from our local authorities, as it appears that through special arrangements the same personnel will continue to deliver our water services under the auspices of Irish Water over the next 12 years.

What is most outrageous is that more than half of the management team of Irish Water has been drawn from local authorities and the government department already in charge of delivering services, so why was it necessary to set up Irish Water in the first instance?

This is surely not the reform agenda we were promised in delivering our water services, more especially since the head of operations at Irish Water came out of retirement after receiving a reported €335,000 topped up retirement package as Waterford county manager in 2011.

Despite all their so-called expertise, they are still unable to say what it will all cost the consumer.

It appears the rollercoaster gravy train continues to roll for another layer of an elitist golden circle while the ordinary person must continue to pay the price. Nothing has changed for those at the top.

Christy Kelly

Templeglantine

Co Limerick