A SOUTH DUBLIN county councillor has warned that businesses may be affected if Irish Water doesn’t show leniency in collecting water charges.
Figures released to Fianna Fáil councillor for Clondalkin Trevor Gilligan show that the four local authorities in Dublin are owed a combined €32 million in commercial water rates.
Gilligan said that the figures show a lack of clarity over the changeover from local authorities to Irish Water.
“Many people working on the ground and businesses who pay water rates at the moment don’t know where they stand now when it comes to arrears. There are outstanding rates owed by some businesses that have fallen on hard times in recent years due to the difficult trading environment.
I know many people who are now worried that if local authorities are no longer able to apply discretion and show leniency there could be huge pressure put on businesses and some could go to the wall.
“We need to know what happens in the case where businesses cannot afford charges, will households have to pay?”
The table shows that Dublin City Council has the most money owed to it, with nearly €16 million owed in total. South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown county councils both have over €6 million outstanding, while Fingal sits at an even €3.5 million.
Gilligan said that there needed to be clarity about the handover.
“[Irish Water] already control city’s water assets and businesses are right to wonder how much attention will be paid to maintain the local authority-local business relationship that exists at the moment.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say