Official numbers on water charge payments expected tomorrow

Deputy Murphy told Newstalk last month that water charge protesters are on the verge of a “big victory”, amid estimates that 30% of households had failed to register with the utility.

The company expected to collect just under €67m from domestic customers in the first billing cycle, which covered the period January to March.

Any household that fails to make payments over the first year will be charged €30 if it’s a single person households and €60 thereafter while Irish Water will also be able to deduct unpaid bills from wages and social welfare. However, only 43% of households have paid.

However, Government sources insisted that Irish Water was sufficiently funded for the near future, and that payment levels to date were a “decent start”.

A TIRADE of boos and heckles emanated from the Government benches in the Dáil today as Labour and Fine Gael backbenchers attempted to silence Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald from confronting Taoiseach Enda Kenny on the issue of water charges.

But the company defended the rate of payments, calling it “a solid start”.

The figures suggest that despite more than 1.35 million people registering with Irish Water, the payment rates are well below expectations.

“And so you manage your business in the context and in light of that, and that is precisely what we have done here”.

Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy said it represented “a massive victory for people power” and that a clear majority of people have sent a message that they will not pay these charges.

He said: “The figures are an unmitigated disaster for Irish Water”.

“In Government, Sinn Féin would immediately scrap Water Charges”.