Day “X” has arrived. Legislation on Water Charges to pass through Daíl next week

WaterTax

New legislation is to be rammed through the Daíl next week regarding Water Charges. Two bills are to be introduced yet only information on one has been released.

Cllr Bríd Smith said “As predicted, this legislation is yet another attack by the Government on the most vulnerable in society. This week we see cuts to One Parent families take effect while this Government has plans to lump another bill onto households via Landlords as debt collectors?. It’s completely unacceptable.”

Bríd continues “there’s only one answer. Feet on the street on July 1st and 14th! The day the bill is pass through the Daíl and the day it is to be voted on.”

Another Bill is to be introduced but little has been released as yet. The bill in questionis for attachment orders on social welfare.

The new amendments in the Environment Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2015 dealing with water charges include:

  • After 2015 the €100 conservation grant will not be given to anyone who is not on a database which will be held by Irish water. The database will include any information that the Minister deems relevant.
  • Landlords will be required to pass tenants details to Irish Water
  • Tenancy agreements in rented accommodation (public and private) will be required to include an obligation to pay water charges as a condition of the tenancy. That means tenants could be evicted for not paying water charges.
  • Approved housing bodies and voluntary housing groups will be responsible for ensuring water charges are paid
  • It will be a requirement for selling a house to provide proof of having paid water charges
  • It won’t be possible to buy a council house until water charges are paid
  • Approved housing bodies and voluntary housing groups will be responsible for ensuring water charges are paid