It seems that most people have forgotten about what was one of the most contentious political issues of the past decade, the decision to introduce water charges and install water meters outside every house in the country. Ultimately the Government had to abandon the idea of charging for water but only after spending almost €500k on meter installation.
October 6, 2015 In an earlier blog I listed ten mistakes that turned the establishment of Irish Water from a good idea into a total disaster - a disaster that created huge divisions in Irish society and placed a heavy financial burden on the Irish taxpayer. I didn’t go into much detail on the mistakes so perhaps I should elaborate. Lack of meaningful debate: At the top of my lists I suggested that a lack of meaningful debate was the prime cause. The necessary legislation was pushed through the Dáil in record time with little input from Government backbenchers or opposition TDs. The lack of debate extended to the media which persisted in treating the matter as a black and white issue – should householders be obliged to pay water charges or should the cost of water continue to be covered by general taxation? At no time did the question of how payments would be calculated – usage or a flat rate per house – receive any media attention. Similarly the media never qu...
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