PLANNING CONFERENCE:A WATER meter will be installed on every home in the State, Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said.
Dublin city’s head of water services Tom Leahy last week said one-third of households eligible for water rates would have to pay a flat charge because the properties in question were not suitable for the installation of meters.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar accepted on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics last Sunday that older houses with shared supply pipes, or mains coming in to back gardens, would have to face a fixed charge, as stated by Mr Leahy.
However, he said it was his understanding that it would affect no more than 20 per cent of households and not one-third of houses.
“There will be about 20 per cent of older houses and apartments that won’t be able to be metered in the normal way,” Mr Varadkar said.
However, Mr Hogan said in Kilkenny yesterday that Mr Leahy was not correct and department officials had determined that meters could be installed on all properties.
“I don’t know on what basis he [Mr Leahy] came to that conclusion but I am sure he will tell me some time.”
His officials had examined the potential for meters in all local authority areas over a 10-month period, Mr Hogan said. “We have come to a different conclusion to Mr Leahy. In the initial phase we expect to have 85 per cent of the country metered.”
He compared the installation of meters to the establishment of the ESB in 1927 which was followed by a gradual electrification of all homes.
“Irish water will be working with local government to ensure that we meter as quickly as possible as many properties as possible and ultimately meter all properties.”
At the Irish Planning Institute conference in Kilkenny yesterday, Mr Hogan said the review announced by his predecessor John Gormley into planning matters in seven local authorities had not been abandoned.
However, he said he wanted to avoid a situation where the investigation of planning complaints would “set off” another tribunal.
“I want to correct the public record by saying that there was never any question of this planning review not being completed, rather it was a change of approach in order to reduce the taxpayers’ possible exposure to significant costs.”
He said the review was progressing well and a report on the matter would be delivered shortly and would be published.
“We want to be sure that when we sift through those complaints that they are valid, that they stand up to scrutiny and that they are not going to set off a very expensive tribunal.”
His officials were being “very careful” about verifying complaints and if external investigations were required arising out of that internal review of the department an external independent investigation would be established.
Separately, Mr Hogan said the plight of the residents of Priory Hall, who were evacuated from their homes seven months ago, was “appalling” but he hoped the new mediation process chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Joseph Finnegan would achieve a resolution.
“It is appalling . . . that such a nightmare would be foisted on people like the residents of Priory Hall through no fault of their own, and even though it has been long and protracted, regrettably for the residents.
“I’m hopeful that the mediation system that has been put in place now under former justice Finnegan will help to resolve matters with residents, local authorities and the financial institutions by July.”
