Irish Water has written to every local authority in the State seeking the names and addresses of all their council tenants. They have not asked for tenants’ PPS numbers.
While most of the local authorities contacted by The Irish Times last night said they intended complying with the request, Wicklow County Council said it was taking legal advice.
In letters dated October 23rd, Irish Water tells housing managers that the utility requires information about tenants under section 26(1)(a) of the Water Services Act, “which empowers Irish Water to request local authorities to provide such information as Irish Water may reasonably require to enable it to perform its functions under the Act.
“The requested names are required by Irish Water to carry out its obligation under section 21 of the Water Services (No 2) Act 2013 to charge occupiers for the provision of water services.”
Irish Water commented last night, “Where a tenant has not registered with Irish Water, Irish Water will contact the property owner to give them the opportunity to provide the tenant’s name and ensure that the occupant receives the bill rather than the landlord. Irish Water has recently initiated this process with local authorities.”
‘Great import’
Margaret Malone
, senior housing officer with Wicklow County Council, said the matter was one of “such great import” that it would seek advice on whether it could or should comply with the Irish Water request. She said there were more than 4,000 social housing tenants in the county.
Other local authorities, however, intend acceding to the request.
South Dublin County Council, which has more than 9,100 social housing tenants, will provide "the bare information" of names and addresses. "There will be no question of providing PPS numbers," said a spokesman.
A spokeswoman for Fingal County Council, which has 4,400 tenants, confirmed the housing section had received the request for tenants' information.
“We are currently gathering the information and will be issuing a reply with the relevant information to Irish Water at a future date,”she said.
A spokesman for Galway City Council, which has 2,100 tenants, confirmed the director of housing had gathered principal occupiers' names and addresses, as this was provided for in the legislation. It had yet to provide them to Irish Water however.
Clare County Council said: "The council has received contact from Irish Water on this matter and will be complying with any legal obligations placed upon it."
A spokeswoman for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said: "To date, Irish Water has not requested the names and addresses of council tenants." An Irish Water spokeswoman, however, insisted that the request had been sent.
‘So-called apology’
People Before Profit TD
Richard Boyd Barrett
, a member of the Right2Water steering committee, said the move by Irish Water to secure the names and addresses of council tenants made a “mockery of the Government’s so-called apology for mistakes made.
“They are continuing to allow Irish Water act in an outrageous manner, allowing them to attempt to secure the personal details of tens of thousands of households’ information.
“This latest scandal will only further fuel opposition to Irish Water and help to ensure a massive turn out for the next protest, outside the Dáil on December 10th,” he said.
