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THE PSNI HAVE released a photo of a man they are hoping to identify to help them with their inquiries into an alleged serious sexual assault in Downpatrick, Co Down four weeks ago.
“We wish to identify and locate the man in this photograph as he may have vital information that could assist us with inquiries into an alleged assault in Downpatrick on May 10,” said Detective Inspector Adrian Brown of the PSNI’s Public Protection Unit.
The alleged victim of the attack, a woman in her early twenties, was accosted by her assailant in a house on Scotch Street in the town after a night out.
The PSNI have confirmed that ports, airports and other police forces have all been put on alert as the search for the woman’s attacker continues.
Anyone who recognises the man in the photograph or knows where he is asked to contact the PSNI incident room number 028 3836 6274 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
30k litres is far too low – set a normal usage limit and charge people for excessive usage – we already pay enough in tax to cover our water supply
I agree this is too low. The country should ready itself for The Great Unwashed!
Why can’t it be like uk household tax pays for everything ie rubbish etc
Water charges are seperate in London
I lived in the UK for a couple of years.council tax and water charges are off the wall.water qualitys awful. Especially down south.
Because paying for directly provided services like water, bins, electricity, etc based on usage is a fair system. For those that cannot be billed directly like many council services; parks, public lighting, grass cutting etc, are covered by council tax/local property tax. The user pays system also encourages the reduce, reuse , recycle principles.
I can’t blame the current government for the unholy mess we are in, but with this charge/tax, they have sealed theirs and the countrys fate. SF/FF will be loving this.
Water charges are separate all over England.
lets not forget that fianna fail signed us up to these charges
@ Ann Buggy. Household tax or council tax in UK doesn’t pay for everything. Other than the upkeep of the community and the bin collections, it really doesn’t cover much else.
I know it sounds great.but the problem is that the rates go up and up not to make better services but to pay shareholders etc.also property isn’t reevaluated on a regular basis so fiscal creep takes effect. Who sets these prices. Are they profit driven? I can tell you quite honestly that the council tax I paid in the UK wasn’t being spent in the Area I lived in and the water was terrible.
In California, US, you pay separately for trash collection, sewer waste and water. Then you pay a household tax about 1 per cent of the price of your home.
The council in the UK are a law onto themselves. Ordinary folk there are being screwed and pay big money as a percentage of their pay and not on an ability to pay. I wouldn’t look at the UK as being a good role model when it comes to equality.
It used to be that way, until Enda Eamon and co got their mitts on the chequebook now it’s pay pay pay. You just pay to exist really
Well welcome to reality Irish style!!!! Keep paying and receive nothing
But half the country will have exemptions so as usual the middle wage earners will be squeezed to make it pay. In my opinion charge for every litre and means test all reductions is the only fair way. The mess that is going to come in on the back of this is going to make it impossible to create a fair and equitable system
Could u give an example of figures of how much is that roughly compared to here.
Depends on which figures you are interested in. Water charges on average cost us about £50 a month. That covers baby having a bath every night and 2 showers a day, plus laundry etc. And the water is not drinkable.
It’s lots.
I hear you.but what’s the income tax rates in cali. Have they a usc charge. How much is vat there.
Police, state schools, Social Services, Roads, Trading standards, Council housing, Council services, libraries… Almost everything is paid for from the Household charge in the UK
If it’s yellow let it mellow…if it’s brown flush it down.
In England we pay separately for water, about £200 a quarter on average for my house (based on usage), and we pay extra for disposal of garden waste also in my local authority area. Everything else is paid for through Council Tax, about £2,500 a year, variable depending on size and location of the house.
No!!! The council tax averages £125 a month for the cheapest house hold (band a) which paya for bins, council services, fire and police. Water bills average £450 a year plus £200 sewerage charge. On top of other standard bills. Remember they also pay 20% income tax and 11% national insurance which averages more than any Irish health insurance or tax. We do not want the UK model…we have it easy. Btw…I disagree with these charges, but I’m glad I’m not in other western European nations.
What the F*ck has England got to do with anything? This is Ireland! Why do we always have to look at other countries and assume that their systems are better then ours. Where has our national pride gone? I can never understand why, after 800 years of foreign rule and dictatorship, we want to throw ourselves willingly to the corrupt and evil EU to rule us. We should stand on our own two feet and strive to come out smiling.
I’m in the uk and I pay £110 a month council tax and then water charges are separate to this. Another £250 per year.
So what is income tax and vat for?
Our marginal tax rate is 54%
More lies from Hogan, total discrimination against homes that don’t have under 18′s. Anyone know any average household of 2.7 people ?
We don’t live in England
I agree and will be telling any councillors knocking on my door that their junkets arn’t needed any more.lot of dead wood and low hanging fruit in the council and govt.
Water charges in the UK are separate from council tax. Council tax is also far higher than the Irish property tax. It depends on the value of your house but paying £1200 in property tax per annum is fairly routine.
We live in Ireland ,
We kicked out the English ,
Now it’s time to kick Enda & Co out
Water costs this country an absolute fortune to pipe into your house, why on earth should anyone be entitled to have this service provided for free?
There’s a separate water charge here in the u.k. for water. Its about £9 a week, but they’re actually not allowed cut you off if you don’t pay. And when your bill mounts up they call in the debt collectors to recover the cash. ..!
Good man Des, you’re spot on! Fair play to ya. You tell them. Tiochfaidh ar la. Woohoo. That’s how you do it. You’re fantastic.
@Reg But didn’t the government tell us when the Household Tax was first introduced that it would pay for all, or most of, these things? It was supposed to go to our local councils and from there back into local services, it never happened. It was just another tax used to pay back the banks.
How much extra will i have to pay for a bottle of Vodka?Hic!
Eh, FF? Really? Yes, if the people have the memory of goldfish perhaps. Then again the Irish electorate isn’t the sharpest tool in the box. The 2007 election illustrated that adequately.
Hogan is going to force me to stop using my indoor swimming pool.
Adapt!
If you converted it into a litter box you wouldn’t need to flush the toilet. Just add sand and a shovel. Savings all round!
I never thought of that I’ll have to fill mine in before that. What will I fill it with it can’t be flowers as I won’t be able to water them. Any suggestions ????
Kathleen,
Outdoor pools will benefit from natural rainwater and sunlight… I’d avoid perennials but would suggest you go for roses, since everything else is bound to stink.
I had assumed that Niall had an indoor pool, hence my more practical advice.
If you’re contemplating vegetables, that would apparently be unhygienic.
Diarmuid Gavin should be along at any moment to correct any error I may have made.
Good luck and have a blooming great summer!
Thanks Paul’s yours so helpful your right mine is / was an out side pool
do what the populace of London and Paris and other cities around the world did back in the 1600 and 1700 century throw it out of your window onto the street .
if one of the politicians lived near me I would.-but in their garden.
This is only the start. The future is price increases and if sold off much higher prices.
Is it true that Siemens offered to install water meters for free but Denis OBrien was paid to do it instead? Now not even water is transparent!
No…..
@David. No to what?
No Siemens didn’t offer.
David that’s untrue the offer was made to the late Brian Lenihen by Siemens in December 2010 but not progressed by Hogan.
Siemens offered to install them without any additional initial charges to the customer, and recoup the cost slowly over several years, but their estimated running costs were still apparently cheaper than Siteservs, even without the money from the property tax, and the cost of the €100 million debt write off for Siteserv that was given just after Denis O’Brien bought into Siteserv.
Siemens didn’t offer to do it for free. Which was the assertion.
Siemens offered to provide the finance for the installation and the cost would be recovered through system charges. There are European tendering requirements so the contract went out to tender. Siteserv won the tender. Siemens offer obviously wasn’t the best one.
I’m personally pretty happy with European tendering requirements. It opens things up to competition from other European companies. People can disagree if they want.
Several companies were awarded the business Jason, not just one company.
Have they actually said how much per litre it’s gong to cost, once the allowance had been exceeded?
But Denis only owns one of them so no one cares about the rest.
Talking… that company DO’B owns, Siteserv was also given a 100 million+ write off from Anglo Irish (taxpayer)How many of the other companies received this type largesse from the Irish taxpayer.
I bet you didn’t care about that when Sierra came out to fit your sky dish or UPC box
Talking…Sierra hasn’t fitted anything on my house so what are you on about?
Well since they have the contract to install sky and upc nationwide I’d safely assume they have been to most homes in the country at some stage or will be. If you have neither then you are in the minority
Talking…. just out of curiosity what has your post got to do with water?
You obviously have a bee in your bonnet about DOB’s company fitting meters, just wondering if your gripe extends to your TV services?
Just to point out Siteserv didn’t really get an write off. It went into administration and the equity owners were wiped out. The administrators were able to convince the creditors they would get more back if it was ran as a going concern instead of liquidated. Hence the reductions in the amount owed.
Talking… no bee it’s just amazing how lucky DO’B becomes getting state contracts when FG get power.His newspaper holding got a nice write off from AIB aswell €100 million or so.
Taking your meds norm? Bitta paranoia there…
david can’t counter a post so respond with a childish insult.
Watch D O Brien’s grab on Irish water as the state put it up for sale. You can boycott Topaz and what papers/media he is involved with, but every one needs water to live. Then you will find out the real cost of water on your family
And u just wait obrien the tax exile will buy irish water in less than 10 years @ a knockdown price as he has done with siteserve the guys installing the meters.
I am also wondering this. Everyone is getting caught up on the allowance. Nobody seems to care about the actual per litre cost.
@Seamus .. They haven’t said but if the average consumption is 140,000 litres and the average cost will be €240, take away the 30,000 litre allowance the €240 average will be for a 110,000 litre average so will work out at .0021 cent per litre.
The average per day will be 301 litres so about 66 cent per day, multiplied by 365 days comes to €240.
So in short it’s looking like .0021 per litre but no doubt that will be “rounded up” to 0.0025 or .003 cent per litre because of the lack of standing charge which will obviously bring the bill up to a lot more than €240 !!
Seamus , Seamus this is Phi don’t rush him were only in 2014 the election is not until 2016
A token of €1 would have covered the legal loophole of consideration.
I don’t. Often the tender is unrealistic, cannot be completed and the tax payer foots the bill again.
Yea Denis won my arse!!!!
The garden will be getting well fertilised
Absolute scandal. Fcuking Labour sellouts.
Can’t use human stuff if you want to plant own veg though. Your pee will also burn your lawn.
That’s only if you’re not drinking enough water :p
I agree. Let’s not forget FG’s enthusiasm for this though. They deserve more than half of the blame, as they would like an even more penalising system
This is an utter disgrace. Pockets being picked once more by the government. Bloody low lives bleeding the people dry. Do not canvas in my house
Family of 5 with some teenagers will cost €450 a year as per Hogan on six news. The €240 is a red herring.
Liars spin spin spin.
You are correct Damian , at least 450 for a family of 5 adults.
There are extra allowances for children on top of the 30,000 litres per year.
Stop whinging,whingers are useless, instead take evasive action,harvest the rainwater,its free, and another thing,cut your flush in half by putting a brick or two in your the water cistern, simple solutions and cheap.
there’s plenty of water in the grand canal, could be used for flushing your toilets all you need is a couple of 5 gal plastic containers in the back of your car and bob’s your uncle, I might even start up me own little business selling the 5 gal container and delivering the water. Hulk Hogan might even put a tax on canal water.
And exactly what use is harvested rainwater. Do you suggest we do our dishs out the back. Maybe get a washboard and mangle. I don’t understand your logic.explain please. Seems like our eu masters are determined to drag us all back to the stone age
And what exactly are we meant to do with this harvested rainwater. Do we do the dishes out the back.maybe get a washboard and mangle for our cloths. Please explain. Seems to me our unelected masters in Brussels are determined to drag us back to the stone age.
Cue the cost of rainwater harvesting equipment doubling.
Won’t make a difference. If people harvest rain water cost of water in taps will increase. They need 240 off everyone regardless of what water people use
Irish water pretty much said that today, if consumption drops they will increase the price. Think an Irish Water spokesperson could be looking for a new job after letting that particular cat out of the bag
I was in and out of the room so I didn’t hear the story in full, but there was a guy on the radio an hour or two ago with 5 kids, he measured his usage for the last few months, and he calculated he’d use his entire allowance as it stands in 9 weeks.
While I don’t agree with water charges, I can’t believe anyone could use 180000 litres of water in 9 weeks. That’s 2857 litres a day. If he is using this much he deserves to pay.
Not each person has 30k. Each property. For now. When Tierney starts his usual style of p******* money away; this will be needed to support his pension.
The water allowance of 30,000 litres is per property (not per person) so to use 30,000 in 9 weeks would be 476 litres per day (not 2857). This doesn’t seem outlandish for a household with 7 people.
You get an extra 38000 litres for every child (plus the 30000 for the household) which is 210000 litres in 9 weeks.
We’re the only country in the eu with vrt on cars, have high vat rates, just doubled carbon tax on solid fuel to punish the poor and the elderly, and have the usc bank tax 7%. If you drive an old car tax is v high.before u know it we’ll get to the top of the league for water tax. How much will my income tax be reduced by since we’re getting hit directly for charges? Half the country is in negative equity any chance of a tax break on that?
We are also – currently – a country without compulsory pension and health insurance, no tax on religion, rainwater or sales tax.
No sales tax? Ever heard of VAT, 23% sales tax, quite high I would have thought.
Denmark also has VRT.
In their tesco style add last electionlabour said they would not support fg water charges. You know what to do 23 may
At this rate it may be cheaper to bulk buy a few tonnes of Lidl’s finest Saskia water!
My 4 kids will soon be learning the rhyme ,
“if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down”!!!!
“If it’s black, go see a doctor”
If its red, bowel cancer
Keep with the rhyming scheme folks:
“If it’s black go see a quack;
if it’s red, then you’ll be dead!”
Back to using the dock leaves
Perfect time of year to gather them up too. As soon as the charges are introduced, we may witness the end of the handshake as a greeting in Ireland.
Bad news for citeogs, Niall…
Anyone voting Sinn Fein now after this?
If Sinn Fein can bring in the policy they have in the North were English people pay for everything I would vote for them in heartbeat.
David, might require some changes in sovereignty, but it has been done before.
I honestly think if you told most Irish people that if Ireland joined the UK again we could have 30 billion pounds a year we would say yes.
No, we wouldn’t
Hence, most.
Free State says YES !!
Not taking responsibility for ourselves is what got us into this mess in the first place. Surrendering to yet another master is not the solution. Wake up lads.
Jeez, are we better of as a republic? Our own people would steal your toe nails….. Nothing special about Ireland….. We are bigots, hypocrites, ignorant, corrupt and get what we deserve….. A country surrounded by salt water, and you expect the fresh water to come freely……. Welcome to the world…..do not take to the streets over water, get out and protest the rich people raping the soul of the country…… The politicians who triple dip the pot…….. Go get them……
5 minute shower!! What the hell? Grrr
So basically we will be taking a sh!t into Ballygowan water!
Ballygowan? I think Lidl water will do!
Fg and lab out out out
And who in? No one else has an alternative.
The smelly people will be the new rich!!
SIGN IN MY GARDEN :: FOR VISITORS.
BRING YOUR OWN WATER, MINE IS TO PRECIOUS
Soon to be no longer offered a cup of tea…
Whoever brushes their teeth with the tap on deserves whatever charge they end up with for their water.
Agreed. Couldn’t believe anyone does this. Very wasteful.
Labour put a leaflet though my door last night and walked away I opened door and gave his rubbish back to him labour party my arse fg puppets
Imagine actually voting Finé Gael or Labour after this? You would have to be insane. €240 a year on top of property tax, complete joke. This will almost definitely be the needle that breaks the camels back. Families are going to suffer even more than they have been for the past 3 or 4 years. GE 2016 is going to be very interesting.
You’re optimistic. We will do the usual and complain before putting the X beside the usual candidates on the ballot paper, we never change
Like trying to find a camel in a haystack
Time to sink your own well.
Brian
You will never get a reasonable return on a well as you will pay about five grand for drilling and then it must be housed and a pump supplied. Then the annual cost of water treatment and you will quickly realise that you made a mistake!
Richard, mine cost 2k no need for water treatment, was tested payback in less than 5 years and the gloating feeling I’m not paying money to those tossers.
Time to refill the Hot Tub !! Immediate benefits of a well !!
Richard, it entirely depends on the depth of the well required. It’s approx €10 per ft and pumps range widely in price. In some cases cost would be prohibitive but it’s definitely worth checking out as a realistic option. If you are an average water user (€240 bill pa?) , with a well you’ve potentially saved € 2400 over ten years, a large chunk of the cost of a well in a lot of cases. I have a well and will not be partaking in this charge or worried about the inevitable cost increases to follow in the coming years from the cults in the dail.
I’m in trouble
You’re so lucky in Cork to have water flowing through the city streets every year! Shouldn’t be a problem this winter cos people will be out”robbing” it!!
You’re right to say that we’re lucky
Gym memberships pay for themselves now, free showers!
Watch the price of baby wipes and tins of dry shampoo shoot up !
I’d die of thirst rather than give this parasitic government any more money, pack of f***ing leeches.
Will VAT be added to the bill?
Of course. They will also add a PSO levy and some sort of carbon tax in the future. A standing charge will be introduced when the company is privatised.
Farmers will have no option but to sink wells.
Imagine 100 head of cattle horsing into gallows of water every day, you’d go bankrupt.
Don’t farmers already pay for water directly like other businesses?
If you are on a group scheme yes otherwise no unless you have your well.
A lot of farms have been metered for years as they are commercial users, if your house is connected to the same water pipe as the farm your are given an allowance of 225 cubic metres, every unit over that is charged
Thanks Ron, I though that most farms had been metered at this stage.
So when your children reach the voting age they don’t exist in your home and have no use for water at all. The day they reach 18 they are denied an allowance of water not a drop nothing nada zilch. They allow a building an allowance but not the person
Stop complaining , the €50 million consultancy fees have to be paid by someone
It seems quite low, though its good to see the additional allowance for children but a one size fits all isn’t appropriate for all families. Homes where there is a parent giving fulltime care to kids is going to have a much higher usage than those where kids are with a creche or childminder all day. There’s so little support for those who chose to raise kids at home and costs are rising across the board even for a small family.
Bin Charges
Property Tax
Water Charges
Insurance Levies
Utility Increases and standing charges
Having a family means willingly making sacrifices and cutting corners to provide the best possible for the children, but anymore and it’ll be like the oval office, with no corners left at all.
Most kids go to school from age 5. Kids also get a free year at pre school. Teens have an extra month off in June they also go through a costly ‘hygiene stage’..
Pointless complaining about some kids going to crèches or child minders from 6 months to 3 years or during school holidays. That too costs money…
@Lily
I was not complaining about kids going to creche or child minders, my point was merely an observation that water consumption is not standardised across all families with small kids due to diverse arrangements for their care. ECCE is 2-3hrs a day and primary school starts at 4.5hrs a day for the junior years. That still means the majority of their time is spent in the home, all their meals and most of their hygiene uses of water are all in the home.
Sorry but a child going to daycare costs quite a bit more than the water will.
To me it came across as complaining. There are 1000s of different senerio’s, 1 parent families, 2 parent families, kids home schooled, kids sick, kid has ocd and washes hands 100 times a day, child with autism that loves water, family has a garden and uses paddling pool, child in nappies until 3 so doesn’t flush toilet.
As much as I hate water charges I think its stupid saying that some kids stay home so should have higher usage than those at a minders. Paying for a minder is really expensive.
If that eases the financial pressure of the middle income working parents some bit great… They need a break..
I am merely saying that families with children raised at home HAVE higher usage, that’s all, and I think that’s indisputable. It wasn’t a commentary on cost of childcare (which is prohibitive, paying for a creche or a minder is shockingly expensive) I wasn’t attempting to debate water charges v’s childcare costs.
My sole point is that life as a single income young family being squeezed from every angle is getting harder, and in addition to everything else that is carefully managed, this is one more thing to have to budget for and be even more conscious of in terms of the ever increasing costs.
@ Imogene
Who is comparing water charges to the price of child care? Thats irrelevant to the allowances.
If you chose to have two parents working then you are going to have to incur child care costs. If you chose to have one parent at home, then you are going to have to manage on a single salary, and you’ll have higher water usage. My point; the allowances for families with young children will fall shorter for those at home with children.
Okay a single imcome family is being squeezed, but so are 2 income families. Something which you dont seem to get. Thats why you have 2 working. They too struggle to make ends meet, to pay their mortgage, child care, esb, gas, car insurance /tax, house insurance, property tax, life assurance.
Just because a family has 2 incomes doesn’t mean they are not struggling.
Why doesn’t the one not working go out and get a job? Because it barely covers the child care costs thats why. Some still decide to work even though its not really worth it.
As for children raised at home have highter water usage. Compare a breast fed baby aged 6 months who has a stay at home patent with a 15 year old sporty teen who goes to school and has a boyfriend or girlfriend…
Or a sporty 8 year old who wets the bed 7 nights a week, (imagine all that washing – protective sheet, sheet, duvet cover, pjs, pillow case, and in some cases the duvet and pillow) with a 4 year old at pre school with a stay at home parent and doesn’t wet the bed.
My guess is the teen and the 8 year old have a higher water usage.
You don’t seem to view things from other people’s perspective. I can see a single imcome family struggling and also a dual income family struggling.
@ Lily
We are ALL struggling, I never said otherwise – in fact I said we make the choice of one salary or child care when we become parents, net result we are all in the same leaky boat. You’re busy creating an argument with yourself here as you’re attributing things to me which I have not said, and wasting time cooking up scenarios to argue with yourself.
Enjoy!
Imogene, you dont live in Ireland so this really doesnt affect you.
Well if you don’t want to pay for kids don’t have them !
Bit late now!
This isn’t acceptable. There will be a water war yet and our govt will back down because theyre are spineless . The water tax isn’t going to happen.
82 litres of water collected, stored, treated, tested and pumped to your house every single day for free.
I think that’s not a bad deal.
Free? What, you don’t pay taxes?
Except it’s already been paid for through VAT, car tax and other taxes so it’s not for free David. Do you like paying double for things?
Taxes pay for old age pensions, public service workers a bit of social welfare some infrastructure and a little on the bank bailout. They don’t pay for the water.
Eamonn Gilmore is that you???
They did. That’s why people are angry.
Oh yes they do.
David, are you saying our taxes never went into the water infrastructure in Ireland?
Oh no they don’t!!
David, you were commenting last week that the old aged fared out the best from the recession and the imposed cuts. Are you a paid up member of FG?
Give him time ,Brian ,as he’s logged into a fair few accounts
Well said david.
We didnt see all these moaners on when Fianna Fail were cutting tax rates or expanding tax free allowances.
Ye shudda all tried living in the 80s with high taxss and 20+% interest rates on mortgages.
Spend less money on pointless tech products folks.
A bit of Social welfare?? Taxes should pay for services for everyone. It’s not to much to ask for some benefit for the people paying the taxes.
David,
Taxes don’t pay for water, so before this water charge, what paid for water?
FG have been very careful to protect the old aged as much as possible. They vote see.
@Paul except they didn’t. That’s why there is a deficit every year
@david, FG/lab have not helped the old aged whatsoever.
Ummm..http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/silc/2011/elderly040910and11.pdf
The gross weekly income of the elderly population increased from €289.05 in 2004 to €428.86 in 2009, an increase of more than 48% over the five year period. However, it decreased by 5% between 2009 and 2011 from €428.86 to €407.28. Comparing the elderly with other age groups showed that between 2004 and 2009 the income for those of working age (18-64) increased by just under 18% while the income of those aged 0-17 increased by just under 17%. Between 2009 and 2011 income decreased for all age groups
And now they pay property tax, for medicines, gas, electricity and fuel costs have increased too plus pensions have been cut so they’ve got nothing out of this government.
Don’t know who you’re talking about. As a person existing on the state pension my core payment may not have decreased but stealth taxes have cut it very significantly. Reduction in household benefits package, pay for bins, reduction in fuel allowance, prescription charges, now water charges. And the so- called government pay billions to shore up banks and bondholders.
So since the state was founded are you telling me that no taxes have been used for water services.that’s amazing. Tell me then how the service has been provided.
Over 65s get enormous social transfers and they have increased during the recession. The data doesn’t lie. Child poverty is double that of the elderly, elderly income rose far faster than working families and fell less than 18-64 group.
Nobody but nobody is better looked after than older people.
Read the SILC reports from the CSO.
fg lab out out out
Sorry for the delay in reverting, Cooperguy,
But did I just read that you blamed the deficit on the cost of supplying water?
@Paul, no you didn’t, I’m just saying general taxation does not cover general spending so people can’t really claim that we pay for it already. What paid for all these things in the past isn’t there anymore. (And in reality it was never really paid for properly as money was never allocated to fix the infrastructure that is leaking everywhere!)
@cooperguy
Could you explain the connection with the deficit?
It forms part of the expenditure that has to be paid for. An expenditure for which we do not have enough income.
You can implement this tax (and hopefully get a better, more maintained water system) or make more cuts to services. At least this way means you might get a long term sustainable and modern water system
Fed up Fed up household charge USC PAYE prsi electric charges TV licence bin charges phone charges and bottle gas charges no pay rise since 2007 fed up to back teeth think I will go to bed and stay there. Hopefully there will be no charge for that I give up
What will 30,000 litres get you?
Almost one five-thousandth of the total amount of water that leaks out of Dublin city’s pipes every day.
(Dublin’s figures are 540 million litres of drinking water produced per day, and 29% loss through leaks, which comes to 5,220 times your annual free allowance. Down from 45%, it’s true, but still…)
Down with this sort of thing
Careful now
Why are we all agreeging to this
Is there any word on how rental properties will be expected to pay?
I.e if there is no official contract how will the number of people in the property be determined?
Or will a previously unpaid bill result in lower pressure for current tenants?
Should be ok – I’ll have a shower when it rains, and throw the toilet bucket out the window like they did in the good old days. And 10 shell suits should last me a year or so. I only drink my tea with beer in it so that should be fine.
Ian,
Salaries are double in Denmark than in Ireland. They offered me 8k per month for a job that would be 4k in Ireland.
You cannot see the tax rate in isolation itself….
Simple tip to save HUGE amounts of water. Install a push button flusher. I did this in my own place and it uses about 1/3 of a full flush. Available at your local hardware store, or at least should be..
Simple tip to save money don’t pay mass boycott of payment is called for.
Or you can put a regular house brick in the cistern, saves litres on every flush.
A brick in the cistern is also a good simple way to save on water usage. The button solution suggested above allows for the option of more flush if you need it, for example after you’ve had a heavy night out… if you know what I mean like…
so instead of two flushes you have 2.7 flushes
Eh?
While I think the water charges are just a cheap way out for the political elite of this country, and a boycott is reasonable under the circumstances the people should also take responsibility for the waste of resources, like saving water and getting local authorities to stop wasting money on “screw ups” which are a very convenient way to covertly steal money from the taxpayer.
Hardly a free allowance if you are paying 240 a year
I foresee massive queues for the one shower in work every morning.
I live in a house that has been split into 4 studios and a one bed flat each with own bathroom and kitchen plus shared washing machine.
Are we going to each get our own meter? Or do we share the 30,000 giving 6,000 pa each.
If anyone believes this to be a unique position take a walk around the various “flatland” areas of our cities.
Looks like another well thought out scheme of various governments.
Reminiscent of Baldric from Black Adder and his ” I have a cunning plan”
We need to get out on the streets and protest! 30,000 litres is no way enough… We will be known as the smelly Irish!
30,000L isn’t very much for the government to offer for free. If one person was living in the house, they could use at least 55,000L per year. If people can afford a rainwater harvesting system, with the help of the HRI scheme, they could store enough water to keep their mains water below the figure of 30,000L and would not be charged anything extra above this. It would also help save on mains water when they start charging for usage when the meter is installed. We would recommend if people could install a 2000L – 3000L tank and either use this water for toilets, washing machines and outdoor use or also showers, sinks and baths.
Unless the rainwater harvesting system costs more than €4000 before vat the HRI scheme does not apply.
Esri said only 1700 needed and actual 4700. The additional 3000 heads costs 90million extra per year
I got my annual water bill this week. Im on a group water scheame. I get 100 cubic meters of water free. I pay E0.90 per cubic meter my total usage for the year in a house with 2 adults 3 kids under 13. Was 131 cubic meters and with a meter charge of E90.00. Up from last year.i might add. But no where near E 240.00.for the total bill.. And thats with no extra mesures to conserve.
I want to love bring Irish but i just keep getting more and more reasons to wish i was from somewhere else.
I hope there is no truth in the reports which say that assessments are to apply to some properties – they will be running baths to beat the band.
It’s very cynical and sneaky to say 30,000 litres. It makes it sound like a lot but it’s only 30 cubic metres, the unit domestic water is (I feel) more often measured in.
Considered it’s already ridiculous paying water in country where rain 300 days a year, and with a ridiculous water pressure (I asked to install a gas-powered tankless water heater – I was told “water pressure is too low to have it working”). Given that, why I can’t pay just what I use? Besides, 30k liters it’s ridicolous. I flush the toilet 7 times/day myself alone….
I seriously think 3rd level students should be exempt from this, they have very little money as it is and the government aren’t helping
We won’t pay this scandalous water tax. Never. Never. Never. Get these clowns out of government, start by wiping them out on May 23rd
So we only get charged AFTER 30k litres or is it 240 for those 30k litres and then additional charges afterwards?
30k “free”, charged after that. Rate to be announced in Oct by CER
After the 30,0000L what is the charge per litre.
Oh no…now I’ll have to take more showers with the wife
Can anyone tell me do you have to pay the charges if you are renting?
Being out in the sticks I reckon it will be years before I get a meter so depending on the flat rate. I will be washing the car anf pressure washing everything until they put me in a meter
If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.
Disgusting! I flush myself alone more than 7 times a day…. Plus there’s no bidet in this country! :-)
How do you crawl back up the U-bend Proudly Italian? Good to hear that you flush alone…
KANTS!!!
Is that 30,000 for each person?
per household.
The whole working community needs to down tools and bring everything to a stand still countrywide
March on the dail in the hundreds of thousands…. Stop the busses, trains, flights, ferrys everything!!!!
Show how unhappy we are with these measures
Double and triple taxes and we just bend over and take it!!!
It’s about time we stood up and said no … We no longer accept these cuts, extra taxes, etc
An unbelievably complex system. In Finland in apartments it’s €8-15 per person per month. Different pricing scheme in detached houses. Not sure of the details but it’s per cubic metre.
No more rinsing of items to go in the green bin. Sure the rats’ll love it. And a strong air freshener for the toilet to mask the smell of p*ss from not flushing. Just about to start toilet training my daughter, should I teach her the new rule?
Who in God’s name leaves the tap running while they brush their teeth anyway???
Shower of w@nkers..
So don’t come to my house looking for a cup of tea !
Standard charge I thought would just cover u for the year and no other chsrges
How much is it per litre?
So if u don’t pay it for a year will u have to back pay for water u didn’t use
stupid focking news aritcle
We’re all going to be going around stinking with green teeth:)))
Labour gone missing again
What happens when you go over this?
what about farmers who have their own wells??????
My brother in law lives in the us. He pays about €15k pa property tax for a house a bit better than average.
@Liam: My dog has large paws. What’s your point?
Irish people are sheep just being Led around by muppets in the dail water tax property tax what next or will it make any differents we will do Nothing so Bring it on
Visit http://www.sullivanpropertylettings.com to rent a house and not to pay the property tax!
Eyeopener: Check out what happened in Bolivia when they introduced water charges in 1999: http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13144
I spend about €5k a year providing my own water. Can I get a tax break or a grant?
I live in Brisbane. We have to pay for every drop of water we use – none is free and we pay $1.85 per 1000L plus water access charges (bearing in mind we already $5000 to have the water company connect us to the mains across the street) sewage charges etc. We have a 5000L rainwater tank from which we run the toilets and washing machine- this was installed at our own expense to save money in the long run. Any Irish person wanting to save money could look up Brisbane city council water saving initiatives which were instigated during our drought! My husband and I use 80L per person per day with the rainwater tank – so 60,000L per year so you’d only pay for 30,000L if you can get this low. I don’t see what the problem in paying for treated water is.
A car wash pays about 6k a year on water charges, so at that rate homeowners should pay about 12 euros
Aa Public Servants will be charged for using the loo? Probably!!!
how come ill be paying 240 a year to irish water for dirty undrinkable water when Trocaire can put a well in Africa to supply clean drinking water to a whole village for 2 euro a month?
what hogan is not saying is he will be in europe stabbing us in the back , will he be paying his household charge and water charges in his foreign property …………………
Hotels, cafes etc and public toilets will all have a charge on using the facilities no doubt.
My dear people,be under no ILLUSIONS this company will be floated[excuse pun] as a PLC within 10 years.Then we will see what we are going to pay for this liquid.Stop bitching here and get out on the streets in our thousands to shut down this tax.Bertie Ahern got an exemption from Europe many years ago stating that Irish people would never pay for water.
Brilliant Article Sinead, love it :)
My house has 7 people 5 over 18 years 2 under can someone tell me how much we will pay
Good time to buy shares in manufacturers of deodorants I reckon
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