Irish Water

Uisce Éireann
Company typePublic utility
IndustryWater industry
Founded27 July 2013 (registered as a company)
HeadquartersColvill House, 24–26 Talbot Street, Dublin, Ireland
Area served
Ireland
Key people
Niall Gleeson (Managing Director)
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Uisce Éireann, formerly and commonly known as Irish Water, is a state-owned water utility company in Ireland. It was created by the Irish Government in 2013 as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis. Water and wastewater services were previously provided by local authorities in Ireland. The company was renamed Uisce Éireann on 31 December 2022. The renaming was done a day before the company was split from its former parent body Ervia. From 1 January 2023 the company became a standalone national utility for water services.[1]

The organisation is accountable to two regulatory bodies, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is the economic regulator for the water industry, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which is the environmental regulator.[2]

Formation and operation

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Water supply and sanitation in Ireland are governed by the Water Services Acts of 2007 to 2014. Until 2015, this legislation provided for the provision of water and wastewater services by local authorities, with domestic usage funded through central taxation, and non-domestic usage funded via local authority rates.

In 2013, Irish Water was established under the Water Services Act 2013, which created the company as a subsidiary company of Bord Gáis.[3][4] to provide "safe, clean and affordable water and waste water services" to water users in the country.[5] Under terms of a 2010 Economic Adjustment (Bailout) Programme, the then government agreed to change this arrangement.[6] From 2015, legislation came into force such that a new utility company, Irish Water, became responsible for providing water and wastewater services, with the intention that the company would be funded through direct billing. The new company was set up as a subsidiary of an existing semi-state corporation, Bord Gáis (Ervia).[7] The newly created company effectively took on the existing local authority employees and water management facilities, pipes and infrastructure.[8] Operationally, Irish Water delegates some work, for example water meter installation and customer support, to sub-contractors.[9][10][11]

Public concerns on operational,[12] documentation,[13][14] company responsiveness,[15] data security,[16][17] financial[18] and perceived wasteful spending issues[19] were highlighted throughout the initial months of Irish Water's operations.[20] Together with privatisation fears,[21] these public concerns resulted in a significant volume of unreturned application forms,[22] large nationwide protests[23] and pressure on company management and the government during 2014.[24][25] In 2015, the scale of non-payment issues,[26][27] and an unfavourable assessment of the viability of the organisation as an independent entity[28] further increased attention[29][30] and calls by some to dissolve the organisation.[31] The viability of the utility was also a feature ahead of the 2016 general election,[32][33][34] and post-election discussions on government formation.[35]

In July 2022, it was announced that the company would be renamed from Irish Water to Uisce Éireann as part of a split from its parent body Ervia.[36] This took effect from 1 January 2023.[37][1]

Litigation and criticism

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The company has been the subject of several civil cases, including one taken by Crohn's Disease sufferer Elizabeth Hourihane,[38] and one taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which initiated proceedings over the standard of water in County Donegal.[39]

In 2014 and 2015, local protests were encouraged by residents across the country, and supported by Sinn Féin, Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party, Éirígí, Republican Sinn Féin, 32 County Sovereignty Movement, Communist Party of Ireland, Workers' Party, Workers Solidarity Movement, Direct Democracy Ireland along with trade unionists and other civil society organisations. Those opposed to the plans physically blocked the installation of water meters and demonstrated against the introduction of water charges. A demonstration that took place in Dublin on 11 October 2014 involved over 50,000 people.[40] The Irish Times newspaper conducted a poll the week before which found that 33% of people intended to boycott water charges. Also on 11 October, Paul Murphy, an anti-austerity candidate, won the Dublin-West by-election. This resulted in journalist Fintan O'Toole describing 11 October 2014 as the 'Water Rebellion'.[41][42] Further demonstrations took place in key provincial towns and cities in November 2014, and on 10 December 2014 approximately 100,000 people protested in Dublin against water charges, with the gardaí setting up barricades to establish a seclusion zone around government buildings. In response protestors blockaded roads and bridges in the city centre, postponing bus services, until the early hours of the next morning. Community groups set up to oppose water meters also reportedly physically removed water meters in the days after the protest.[43][44]

The utility and associated charges were also a feature in the 2016 general election, with a number of parties and candidates campaigning specifically on the issue.[32][33][45]

Water charges were suspended in the months following the election,[46] and an "expert commission on the funding of water services" established to assess the issue. The commission published a report on 29 November 2016 which recommended that normal household water usage should be paid for by the State, with excessive usage paid for by the consumer on the polluter pays principle.[47]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Irish Water to be known as Uisce Éireann from 31 December 2022". Irish Water. 20 December 2022. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  2. ^ "CER Role ("Working with the EPA")". Commission for Energy Regulation. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  3. ^ Water Services Act 2013, s. 5: Name and share capital of subsidiary (No. 6 of 2013, s. 5). Enacted on 20 March 2013. Act of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 2014-07-31.
  4. ^ "Irish Water to be Bord Gais Eireann subsidiary". Business Post. 17 April 2012. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  5. ^ "About Bord Gáis – Bord Gáis". Bordgais.ie. 1 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Government 'forced by Troika' to set up Irish Water too early". The Irish Times. 26 January 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Irish Water timeline – A chronological look at the utility from setup to Eurostat ruling". Irish Times. 29 July 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Irish Water insists it WILL be reducing local authority staff numbers". TheJournal.ie. 4 January 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Mick Wallace: O'Brien buying Siteserv very questionable". Irish Examiner. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Meter installers ask Irish Water for extra money". RTÉ News. 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Irish Water: Abtran hires 350 temporary staff ahead of billing". Irish Independent. 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  12. ^ Alison Comyn (16 July 2014). "Residents' rage after paths are ripped up". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  13. ^ Andrews, Kernan (24 July 2014). "Healy questions Irish Water letter demanding bank account details". Advertiser.ie. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  14. ^ Pattison, Brynmor (14 July 2014). "Irish Water: Forms will require householders' PPS numbers and more – Irish Mirror Online". Irishmirror.ie. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  15. ^ "Irish Water Bosses Now Quizzed On 'Toxic Brand'". Evening Echo. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  16. ^ "Data breach investigated after Irish Water discloses bank details". Irish Times. 21 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Search for Irish Water data boss begins". Irish Examiner. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  18. ^ "Irish Water: We'll cut controversial bonuses – but only by 4pc". Irish Independent. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  19. ^ "Irish Water spent €50m despite order to use Bord Gais expertise". Independent.ie. 13 January 2014. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  20. ^ Paul Melia and Sarah Stack (17 July 2014). "No one wants to pay the fees, admits Irish Water boss". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  21. ^ "Greens call for referendum to block Irish Water privatisation". Irish Times. 27 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  22. ^ "What the Irish Water protests have brought to Irish politics". Irish Independent. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014. one million people in the country have refused to return application forms to Irish Water
  23. ^ "Water protests: From a torrent to a tsunami – the anger that will not subside". Irish Examiner. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  24. ^ "Irish Water: We're sorry". The Journal. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  25. ^ "How the world saw Ireland's water charge protests". The Irish Times. 11 December 2014. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  26. ^ "Revealed: Less than half of Irish Water customers have paid their bills". TheJournal.ie. 14 July 2015. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  27. ^ "Irish Water will not reveal breakdown of payments". Irish Times. 29 July 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  28. ^ "Five reasons why Irish Water failed a crucial EU test". Irish Independent. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 26 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  29. ^ "Irish Water ruling 'embarrassing' for Government, Noonan admits". Irish Examiner. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 21 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  30. ^ "Irish Water: Our favourite disasters and U-turns". Irish Times. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  31. ^ "Opposition to Government: Scrap Irish Water". BreakingNews.ie. 29 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  32. ^ a b "Fianna Fáil to abolish Irish Water until 2021 if elected". Irish Times. 11 February 2016. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  33. ^ a b "Sinn Féin unveils election billboard about water charges". TheJournal.ie. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  34. ^ "Editorial: Fianna Fail hasn't changed its spots, let's waste a few more billion abolishing Irish Water". Independent News & Media. 2 March 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  35. ^ "Kenny and Martin hold further talks amid Irish Water impasse". The Irish Times. 23 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  36. ^ Moreau, Emer (12 July 2022). "Irish Water to be rebranded as Uisce Éireann as part of split from parent body". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  37. ^ Water Services (Amendment) Act 2022 (Appointed Day) Order 2022 (S.I. No. 682 of 2022). Signed on 16 December 2022 by Darragh O'Brien, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  38. ^ "Woman takes legal challenge against establishment of Irish Water". Irish Times. 30 September 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  39. ^ "EPA suing Irish Water and council over water standard in Letterkenny". Irish Times. 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  40. ^ "Over 50,000 march in Dublin to protest against water charges". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  41. ^ "120,000 Irish protest as the good boys of Europe turn bad". IrishCentral.com. 2 November 2014. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  42. ^ "The Irish Rebellion Over Water". New York Times. 19 December 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  43. ^ "Dublin brought to standstill by water protest". Irishtimes.com. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  44. ^ "Traffic eases after tens of thousands protest against water charges". Irishtimes.com. 10 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  45. ^ "Election candidates join thousands in Dublin protest against water charges". Independent News & Media. 20 February 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  46. ^ "Billing of water charges to be suspended next week". Irish Times. 24 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  47. ^ "EC to 'evaluate' expert report on water charges". RTÉ News. 30 November 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
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