Sir, – You report today that the Minister for Housing Simon Coveney has indicated that the €100 conservation grant paid to households would be deducted from refunds, when they are paid out.
This would imply that, in equity, the conservation grant should be recovered from households who have not paid their water charges. Otherwise, compliant households will be penalised for their compliance to the tune of €100. That would be just wrong and would send out a very odd message indeed. – Yours, etc,
SEAN MORAN,
Raheen,
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Limerick.
Sir, – Your front page report (Sarah Bardon, Home News, April 13th) on refunding of water charges is certainly bad news for those of us who paid our legally valid water bills.
It is proposed to deduct the €100 conservation grant from the refunds due to us. No mention is made about recouping the €100 conservation grants paid to those who acted illegally by failing to pay the bills due by them.
This proposed act of financial discrimination against those who are law abiding will serve to further undermine the foundations of good governance of the country.
Shame on you also for failing to identify this in your Editorial. Fairness with equity demands that, if refunds of monies paid to Irish Water are to be implemented, then they should be done without any deductions. The water conservation grant should be seen for what it was, namely, a rather crude attempt to buy the quiescence of the middle ground.
Those who agree with my analysis should not go quietly away accepting that the Minister proposes to minimise the cost of his settlement by effectively robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Consumer protection organisations should start looking for a good lawyer. — Yours, etc,
NEIL BRENNAN,
Shanakiel,
Cork.
Sir, – Water, water, every where, nor any cent to pay! – Yours, etc,
REGGIE SPELMAN,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – There are approximately two million households in Ireland. Of these 750,000 were fitted with water meters.
Presumably to get the best price from the supplier the Government ordered the two million meters. This means there are 1,250,000 water meters still in their cardboard boxes somewhere.
I presume to save money, we have put these boxes in the stores we’ve used for the election computers.
To save money, could we now start finding a potential buyer?
We should do this quickly as the water meters measure in litres. If we have to leave Europe and “join” the UK for trade and commerce, then we will need to change the meters to pints and gallons. Water meters would be fitted on average a rood,1/4 chain, from the front door of each house. – Yours, etc,
KEN BUGGY,
Co Waterford.
Sir, – Voluntary liquidation on the part of the Government? – Yours, etc,
TOM GILSENAN,
Beaumont,
Dublin 9.