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LAST UPDATE | 8 Jun 2020
IRISH WATER HAS said that a national water conservation order – or a hosepipe ban – will come into effect tomorrow and remain in place until Tuesday 21 July.
It said the measure was being brought in as a bid to safeguard water supplies for essential purposes over the next few weeks.
The managing director of Irish Water said people need to take the ban seriously due to recent dry weather and increased pressure on water supplies in many areas.
The use of water drawn through a hosepipe for the following purposes will be banned from tomorrow onwards:
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland today, the managing director of Irish Water, Niall Gleeson, said people “need to get serious” about this issue.
“The last three months, this spring has been one of the driest on record and the projections from Met Éireann is that the dry weather is going to continue,” he said.
Glesson added that this is on top of an increase in domestic usage from people being at home more often and increased usage from businesses returning as restrictions ease.
The hosepipe ban is hoped to highlight the “need to stop using water for non-essential purposes” and instead reserve for essential use such as hygiene.
Increase
In May, the utility asked the public to conserve water after the latest data showed that people were using 20% more water each day at home compared to usage in February.
Last week, it warned that a hosepipe ban could come into effect after prolonged periods of dry weather had exacerbated the rising domestic demand for water.
The dry weather has depleted water levels, with 27 of Irish Water’s 900 drinking schemes in drought and a further 50 in risk of going into drought.
“The weather forecast is for a continuation of drier than normal conditions which will further exacerbate the situation,” it said.
Irish Water also said its data shows “dramatic spikes” in water usage on very sunny days.
“During the June Bank holiday, the exceptionally warm saw an equivalent daily increase of water usage for an additional 200,000 people being used in the Greater Dublin Area,” it said.
“This increase in demand was replicated across the country. Given the current pressures on the water sources, this level of demand cannot be accommodated in the coming weeks.”
It said that a minimum of 100 mm of rainfall spread over a number of weeks would be required to replenish water levels with normal rainfall levels needed after that.
Niall Glesson, managing director of Irish Water, said: “It is very clear from Irish Water’s data that that warm weather creates a surge in demand of water. Such weather brings people into their gardens and makes the use of hoses more likely.
Similarly with children confined to home, it can be tempting to use paddling pools etc, however, using a hosepipe for one hour is the equivalent of the daily water usage of an average family and this is evidently a non-essential use of water… It is essential that our water supply is protected if we are to avoid restrictions and outages over the coming weeks and months.
- With reporting by Orla Dwyer
But… But …. We’re attracting these companies because of our educated workforce and links to Europe right? Best small country to do business according to the dear leader… Surely he can’t have been wrong?
Ive been in many meetings where that sentence is the butt of a good few jokes.
This is down to American Tax law, so unless the cabinet are deciding American Tax Law then you’ve chewed too many of those pink tablets.
First of many deals to go I’m afraid.
Will facebook google and the like still be here in 10years?
IFSC will be the next ghost estate.
Cheerful.
You’re right. sad but true. Noonan should be making it easier for companies to dodge tax, not harder. It’s the only thing we have to offer. Our workforce is too expensive and the infrastructure is simply not on par, even with Poland.
Exactly. Who cares if we are offering them a way of paying less tax? It doesn’t matter if it boosts our economy at the expense of America’s. We are absolutely screwed if these companies pack up and leave due to decades of neglect towards indigenous businesses.
Obama the bollox
I thought the yanks just love the irish
no just the tax rates. and easily exploitable muppets in Government
Apparently only when we’re a tax haven.
what is it with the gimps who “run” this country , they always give away any “aces” they have up their sleeves for no payback. Its like they just want to be good poodles for their handlers in Europe
What has this to do with Ireland.
Some people really think that the world revolves around this place, that they are trying to shaft us or are laughing at us or we have it the worst in the world in this “kip”.
America is doing here what is in its own tax interest, they couldn’t give a fucj who is in charge here. That doesn’t come in to it.
What it does show is that focusing on Multi-nationals leaves the country very open to changes in American domestic policy.
Ordinary people were never going to benefit from this anyway
I work in the pharma industry here in Ireland and this takeover deal was (is?) huge. It is a great opportunity for Ireland – and UK based – Shire. The inevitable consequences of the negative publicity over the past year I’m afraid. Bad for business and bad for Ireland over the long term in my opinion.
Yea but no offense, the pharma industry has a lot to answer for in terms of ethics and general human health
It was bound to happen, given all the publicity. I’m confident our government will find some way around it, after all they’ve been codding us for years, Obama will be a doddle.
Very good, Martin! Let’s hope you’re right.
Keep big pharma away from this country, corrupted killers making money, should be buried in a desert somewhere.
shouldnt you be dancing at a crossroads somewhere?
With Comey maidens – or youths, whichever floats your boat?
The same desert you’ve your head buried in? Pharma and Med. Device companies are our biggest employers and account for over 50 billion in ex ports from this country. I bet you’d go to a faith healer if you got sick. Best of luck with that.
One thing about Pharma is the vast imports that it brings in as well, so the net benefit to the country is not as large as it looks when you say 50bn in exports.
Agriculture is surprisingly eaves the most in Ireland’s hands out of exports, money circulating in the economy than Pharma.
They are all just slices in a pie, mind you, but Pharma is in no way our largest sector employer. In all the companies and all the spin off jobs for there would still only be under 3% of the workforce.
Fools those who are negative & for giving in to the EU. US companies really only have a couple of choices uk, Israel or us. If the krauts spoke English they would go there. Posted on this before. Who gives a sh€t how much corporate tax they pay, it’s the PAYE, PRSI & USC take that makes the difference, by local employment. Shame on the government & naysayers for pushing reform. The right move was to cut it to 5% and stick two fingers to Brussels, what could they have done? Their broke, kick us out & watch everyone else jump with us. The tax on the fees alone on the merger alone would have been €50m – grow some balls Ireland. We’re paid up and EU is on the ropes
No more tax dodging and money laundering through Ireland for multinationals so.
One last point because the anti pharm guy’s wound me up. The U.S. Won’t change tax policy more than cosmetics. Who the hell do you think provides the $1bn it takes to get elected in the states? – Santa?
They just tryin drive a hard bizargain, know’m sayin?
For Christ sake it’s only 3-10% but the PAYE take is at least double of Ag, given the tax breaks. I’m a big fan of farming and the industry but the average Ag business doesn’t employ folks at the same rate after tax breaks. Cut corporate tax on strict employment requirements and the country will pick up. Even line factory guys pick up €20-30k+ per year all in. Farm folk just can’t pay that give the current prices. You think Iceland or Singapore would take this sh€t? We need to start looking after ourselves.
Uh oh
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