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'Super quango' Irish Water should be scrapped - TD 16.07.15

INISHOWEN TD Charlie McConalogue has called for Irish Water to be scrapped, describing it as a "hugely expensive fiasco that has cost Donegal taxpayers dearly".
The Fianna Fαil TD claimed the State is €785 million worse off following the establishment of what he called the "super quango", two years ago. He said "not an extra cent has been spent on fixing one single leak or water supply problem in Donegal".
“This has now gone beyond a joke,” said Deputy McConalogue.
“It has been one fiasco after another since this hugely expensive super quango was established. There was absolutely no need to set up Irish Water. No one forced the Government to do this.
"They could have easily left the water infrastructure within the remit of local authorities, and instead spent the money on actually fixing leaks and supply problems."
He said the €785 million of taxpayers' money spent so far had been "wasted" on bonuses and perks; consultants and spin doctors and "a flawed meter installation process".
Deputy McConalogue outlined the spending break down as follows: €172m on setting up Irish Water; €540m on water meters; €80m on consultants and €45m on operating Irish Water every year.
"Not an extra cent (was) invested in water infrastructure above the usual annual spend before the super quango was set up," added the local TD.
Irish Water this week revealed that less than half (46%) of payments had been received for its first billing cycle - a figure the utility described as "a solid start".
"675,000 households are now paying water charges meaning that nearly two million people are living in homes that pay for water services supplied by Irish Water. Payment received for the first billing cycle, at over €30.5m, is 46% of €66.8m due and payments for the first bill are still coming in," said head of communications Elizabeth Arnett. If you have any questions about water bills, the LoCall number is 1890 448 448.
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