Mayor backs new water charges for households

By Declan Tierney

The introduction of controversial water charges in Galway city is inevitable and according to the Mayor of Galway, there is no getting away from it.

But any move to meter every household in the city will be vigorously opposed as the Government have been accused of “attacking soft targets”.

But Mayor Michael Crowe has backed moves to introduce water charges and stresses that the revenue generated must go towards improving the quality of water in the city.

He said that the local authorities had not the financial resources to provide and maintain an acceptable water service to the public.He is advocating that when meters are installed at every house, a quota be allocated to each home and a charge would only apply when this quota is exceeded.

Mayor Crowe also wants a commitment from Government that a waiver system would apply to those who are not in a financial position to pay the charges.

He said that the business community were paying for the water they use and a similar payment should apply to households to improve the quality of water and maintain it.

It is a view that will not go down well with householders across the city and particularly as they are looking at reductions in the income after the December Budget

Fine Gael’s Cllr. Padraic Conneely said that householders were “squeezed from every direction” and a water charge was unacceptable.

“Galway city has one of the worst records when it comes to water quality and now householders are going to be asked to pay for this intolerable situation.

“There is no guarantee that the revenue from the charges will be used to improve the water quality to households – it is my view that the charges will go straight into Government’s coffers in order to improve the look of their overall finances.

“It will be simply another tax that we will be forced to pay and I can tell you the people of Galway city will not stand for it”, Cllr. Conneely added.

Meanwhile, Mayor Crowe is also advocating the withdrawal of children’s’ allowances from parents who have a sufficient income. “There is no way that households that are in receipt of €70,000 per annum, for example, should be getting a children’s allowance”, he said.