Irish Water is drowning in costs

Water charges were introduced in 1983 in urban areas — these were strongly resisted, by Fianna Fáil (in opposition) and by the public.

The charges were introduced because successive budgets had failed to compensate local authorities for the deficit in their funding, arising from the 1977 Abolition of Rates.

Fianna Fáil, in government subsequently, did not rescind the charges, and by the mid-1990s there was a general, albeit reluctant, acceptance that these charges were here to stay, with most local authorities reporting a 75-80% collection rate.

In 1996, to much surprise, Brendan Howlin, then Minister for Local Government, abolished the charges, for no other reason than the Labour Party were languishing in the polls and a general election was looming, in 1997. Talk about cynicism.

Roll forward to today: we are informed that €180m will be required to set up Irish Water. This expenditure will pay salaries, management accountants, IT consultants, solicitors, customer service advisors, metering contractors, etc. Bonuses on top of salaries will be paid post-2016.

Local authorities have been pleading for years for capital monies to upgrade treatment plants and distribution systems, to no avail.

If €180m were available to them, they could eliminate the cryptosporidium problems in counties Galway, Roscommon and Clare. Cork City would have a new plant at Lee Road, to replace the antiquated one, which flooded in 2009. The oldest of the trunk-main systems throughout the country would be replaced.

There was an episode in Yes Minister, that wonderful satirical television series, where a new hospital was built in the Midlands with helicopter pad, car-parking, desks, computers, lifts, payroll staff, but no money for beds, doctors and nurses.

The parallels are uncanny.

Nobody sought Irish Water. The nature of water supply is that you cannot have an integrated, interlinked system because of the multiplicity of sources, so there never was a need for a water authority. This government, with the largest majority in the history of the State, bears full responsibility for this debacle.

Joe Kennelly

Inniscarra

Co Cork