Sir, – The recent decision by Eurostat, the EU statistics agency, to override what was believed to be a strong recommendation by our own Central Statistics Office (CSO) that Irish Water qualified as a market corporation under the market corporation test, raises serious questions as to the credibility and independence of the CSO.
It was no secret that a 50 per cent compliance figure on billing was needed "to make the figures stack up", as Minister for State for Primary and Social Care Kathleen Lynch recently confirmed ("Irish Water needs 50 per cent compliance to be deemed independent", July 20th). So when Irish Water revealed that only 46 per cent of households billed had paid their first quarterly bill, the writing should have been on the wall as regards the market corporation test. Yet we are told by your correspondent Sarah Bardon ("Eurostat concerned by Government control of Irish Water", July 29th) that "a heated row has broken out between the Central Statistics Office and Eurostat over the EU agency's ruling on Irish Water", and that the CSO questions "much of the rationale" of Eurostat's decision.
One therefore has to question just how independent the CSO actually is and why it would publicly seek to defend the indefensible. –Yours, etc,
TOM McELLIGOTT,
Tournageehy,
Listowel, Co Kerry.