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THE NUMBER OF water meters installed across the country has now reached half of the target amount.
However, the rate at which they’re being installed has slowed slightly, according to figures released by Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly.
As of 18 January, a total of 552,587 meters had been installed across the country.
It’s estimated that somewhere in the region of 1.1 million will be required. A figure of 1.2 million has also been quoted in the past.
In response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen, Kelly confirmed that meters are being installed at a rate of 31,000 per month, or just over 1,000 per day.
While this is above the average for some periods last year, it has is below the 33,000 figure quoted for the end of last year.
“Irish Water’s meter installation rate is three times that of comparable programmes in the UK,” the Minister noted.
At this rate, the entire process will be completed by June or July of next year. Installation started in July 2013.
Questions were raised earlier this month over whether these meters will need to be replaced in 15 years time – the life of the device as specified by the manufacturer.
Irish Water stressed it “will not be repeating the metering programme”.
“There will be no wholesale replacement of meters in 15 years time, in practice they are maintained and replaced over a much longer period, slowly, and at a fraction of the original cost of installation,” a spokesperson said.
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By the time they put down the last meter, they will say that they need to replace the first ones. Cash cow for Denis o Brien, facilitated by his buddies in government. Backhanders still rife.
Makes no difference – not paying again for water. If Minister Kelly represented the people of Ireland & not Dennis O’Brien he would stop this massive waste of tax payers money now.
Kelly really is a pathetic worm of a man.
He’s just the stooge they lined up to take the public backlash after Phil Hogan scurried off to Europe after instigating the shambolic affair that is Irish Water. Another Labour man who talked the talk but was found out very quickly. The calibre of politician we elect in this country is a disgrace.
Kelly is another treacherous parasite… Labour my ass… I don’t think there is one person in the Labour party that knows anything about ‘labour’.
Is Waterford Whispers working for the Journal now
552k, is less than a third, not half.
Who’s going to win the contract to uninstall them.
Denis O’Brien of course Fintan, with the petrol/diesel supplied by Topaz, who coincidentally also have the contract for the coffee supplied to the contractors!
Pure lies media serve spin spin
Fintan I got a leaflet the other day saying there are actual “Meter Fairies” getting rid of unwanted meters.
It says if people look on Facebook or ask around you could arrange for a meter fairy to take it away.
These things should be whipped out as quick as they are putting them in.
Well done to all the meter fairies too.
Keep up the good work.Who would have thought,real life fairies…..
Its roughly half as apartments and flat complexes won’t be metered.
Heard of one gathering of 10000 awaiting return to the dail much easier and faster to remove then put in it would seem ! And most definitely cheaper !
Sure we are the land of fairies and leprechauns
Why he who cannot be named of course.
Journal why must you show these lies constantly on your news site? Irish water are finding it hard to get even one in a day. Then usually it’s removed straight away by the residents that live in the area.
If you ever wanted to become a fairy…….
http://youtu.be/2YgS_NUuo3E
Half a billion well spent by Kenny and the boys good job,
@davedunne – they put 14 in on my street in one day last week. We were all happy to have them installed
Just checking the name of your street ? Signed the meter fairy !
It will grind to a halt in its present form, we will be patient, an elephant can be eaten one bite at a time.
Harold, why were you so happy to have a metre installed? Sounds strange that something of this nature would please one so much. Each to their own I guess…
If they are not charging us on usage why are we wasting money putting in meters that won’t be used. They might as well install voting machines outside our houses
Roy, I live in an apartment block and the water meters for each apartment are outside the main door, so some apartment blocks are metered.
Can’t pay won’t pay no money left in the kitty. Sorry Irish water looks like we will meet each other in court.
That it will. Seen headline in paper today front page. That two thirds of Irish waters urgent works are being carried out in the constituency of top politicians. Sparking calls for a inquiry. Cronyism alive and well . they may as well rename crony water.
@Fintan Stack,
I’m happy to pay for clean water, and the waste. I would rather be charged based on usage rather than a flat charge. That’s why i’m happy the meter is put in.
But you already pay. Yes it would be great to pay on a usage basis, however one would want a trustworthy way of doing it. Already we know IW cannot be trusted, and our government cannot be trusted to reduce our taxes to reflect what we already pay towards water.
Fintan, I don’t pay motor tax, so that’s one element of the supposed payment not being made. As for the VAT element, that just flows into general taxation. If the government lowered the VAT rate to eliminate the water element, then raised it to balance the general taxation requirement I would feel no better. As I stated, I’m happy to pay for my water and waste usage.
Harold, your in the wrong place to voice that particular opinion. This forum is solely an IW bitch fest. You’ll only be met with insults and abuse here.
As per usual talking sense talking bull.
Oh so you have no issue with people who are happy to accept the water charges? Your comments and most others on here tell a different story.
I have no problem with anybody paying there water bill. It’s there money. Could not care less. I know one thing I won’t be paying it end of story. You on the other hand spend your time putting people down because there not going to pay. It works both ways. Get used to it.
That’s the thing Colm, I’ve never put anyone down for not wanting to pay. Like you say, your money your choice. What I have done is challenge some of the utter nonsense posted here by some people. It’s one thing to argue the case for not paying by using facts and reasoned argument. Its another to post absolute bollox which is untrue and use that as an excuse not to pay.
Well I do agree you there are comments posted regarding why there not going to pay as over the top. As for my own reasons I’ve clearly explained why I’m not.
Maybe your in the lucky areas where ministers happen to be from. Then your in the area that are high urgency for iw. Over 67% if top politician lives near you. Funny that.
Journal wish you guys would add a edit button option to correct mistakes.
And finton if an old age pensioner can’t afford the bill coming through her door are you of the opinion that that’s her tuff luck. Have you no solidarity with people not as fortunate as you.
If you’re happy then that’s fair enough, but the vast majority have very valid arguments why this should not happen.
Harold, are you saying that you are happy with the way IW has been set up and run so far. Do you honestly think you’re water quality will now improve just because a meter went in and you will be charged more. I think you’ll find a lot of people would be more than happy to pay for a water system that was clean and safe an immune to privatisation, but that’s not what we are getting with IW, and that’s why there is such resistance to it. FG were so busy working out how to extract monies from us that they forgot why they needed to.
IW is just another part of the systemic shift to make us pay for ALL our services separately while still paying general taxation which is used to pay off bailout and bankers.
I love this comment Richard!!!!
The Meter faeries are uninstalling them as fast as they’re going in, it”s like a Benny Hill sketch.
Mine will need to be replaced after 15 minutes mr kelly
All that money wasted. My word Kenny has a hell of a lot to answer for. We all believed Berte was a rat bag .but Kenny is out there on his own.
Bertie’s tricksters bought a lot of votes by abolishing rates and then tried this water charge lark before.
It did not work then, and it will not work now.
Fine Gael and Labour should have consulted the recent history books on this topic.
http://youtu.be/2IDpXCev5mk
Don’t remember fine Fáil ever attempting to bring in a water company/charge? Other than agreeing to this one obviously, as far as I’m aware any attempt to charge extra for water has always been a Fine Gael stroke?
Bertie was the one that secured the deal that makes us exempt form direct charging of water due to our unique placement and continual wet weather.
FG on the other hand gave this away on the 1st of January 2015, now they are going to have to go back to Europe and tell them why we are not paying.
Half of the water meters needed to ensure the government get decimated in the next election are now fitted and Irish water confirm they are on target to get the job done by next spring.
“Half of the water meters needed to ensure the government get decimated in the next election are now fitted and Irish water confirm they are on target to get the job done by next spring.”
They are happy to go quietly into the night.
Did you know that a TD who gets kicked out of the Dail gets his full salary for the next THREE YEARS and only then does his lottery winning pensions kick in.?
The explanation for this is to “alleviate the hardship” of going from an obscene salary, down to an obscene pension.
Bring back hanging!
Can’t pay,won’t pay
More PR Bull.
Think of the 31st of January and remind these parasites where to stick their water meters.
What’s happening on the 31st?
Nothing you need to worry about as your so happy with your meter…..
Hahahaha Josephine…great come back
Right on time, that trains never late……
You can expect one of these articles per day between now and next Saturdays protests.
And media silence regarding the ongoing water protests is deafening.
Not once did RTE do an investigation in to what it means to have a privatised water supply. It would have made for good programming… but no, no, not RTE, don’t ask the hard question…. comply, comply… cowards and creeps.
The Irish people have been truly failed by all in RTE – shame on all of them. There is not one ‘newscaster/reporter’ with a shred of dignity in RTE.
Ivan I would almost whole-heartedly agree with you except for the Primetime investigates -
The work on uncovering the British cover-up in the Hooded Men trial also deserves a mention …
But given the level of scandal in this country then these are too few exceptions …
what they did to Ming by placing him on the second half of the show meant that a lot of people missed him and I know this because my own sister said she went to bed after the first half thinking she had seen the main players ……
And Direct Democracy being refused a slot on the Meath bye-election and they beating labour …..
Are they running out of steam already? DOBBY and Enda will have to hurry back from their Davos ‘orgy’ to give them a bonus.
@Patrica, i like DOBBY will call him that from now on thanks
Roll on the 31st of Jan.
Have fun doing West dublin. I hear all of Dublin is bottlenecking irish water at certain places in west dublin.
I look forward to this slow moving waste of money to grind to a halt.
What an idiotic waste of public money, it is sheer posturing and an attempt to save face at this stage, kenny and his morons thinking “we’ll show them!” They are getting these meters and thss it.fine gael have has failed again attempting to charge extea for water and it will never work,they should gracefully accept defeat admit they were wrong and abandon all this rigmarole
And don’t forget MeterMan! Look him up on FB. He can remove a meter in a minute!
Probably been paid in advance so not bothered now, besides they wont be needed for a couple of years when the €100 bribe has gone, the cap has gone and IW has been privatised
“One thousand a day” ? Not in Balbriggan there not ! People power !!
If the government was only as good at creating decent paid jobs as they are at funding quangos and water metering, then Irish people would probably vote for Fg and Lab again……lmao
I will NEVER be a customer of Irish Water.
I have already burned their ‘Application Form’.
FG and Labour Traitors will haunted by this attempt to privatise our water supply.
The minister for lies ..
Installing these meters is a complete easte of time, nobody is paying these cheating, lying creeps!
No way we wont pay
Meanwhile the great hero of the proletariat is on a tax payer funded holiday in Greece.
You keep making the claim that his trip is taxpayer funded, has he stated this, or do you have evidence?
Can he afford a holiday on his €22k a year wage he claims to live on?
Should he not be in Dublin representing his constituents? I though the TDs Christmas break was already over. The taxpayers are paying for him to turn up to work in Ireland are they not?
Ah, so you DON’T know i.e. you’re making it up.
Did you say that about Leo a couple of weeks back when he was on his holliers ?
No dail does not sit on a Monday. Now if he was a fg TD he probably be in the dail making personal calls at the expense of taxpayers.
Should he not be doing work in his constituency? How will his constituents benefit from his trip to Greece?
he was on Claire Byrne this evening !
Waste..
€750 million on meters bord gais said they didn’t need, people don’t want and may have serious effects to thier health.
Thats nearly €100,000,000 for every child homeless last Christmas in Dublin, alone.
Block metering and pressure tests would find leaks. Instead, this government has set up a billing system to squeeze even more for people being crushed by austerity. They scrapped the old board of Irish Water and put people with established, known connections with the government parties on the new board. This from a Labour party formerly led by Eamon Gilmore, a man who ran against water charges when they first attempted this injustice. €20.5 Billion collected in taxes since ’97 for the upkeep of the water supply – where has that money gone? It is not the fault of the people of this country that the political class has not invested in the water supply in decades.
A suicide rate rocketing, homelessness in Cork up 400% – it’s the highest since records began in Dublin, evictions/repossessions, mass emigration, over a million people struggling to pay for basics, 1 in 7 children going to school hungry to class rooms where teachers are more referee then educator, a crumbling medical service, devouring taxpayers money, headed by ministers who cant balance the books – yet this government is has established at great cost a billing system to take more from those suffering most.
We are only after burying the generation that knew a time when only our rivers ran free. We have a duty to stop this injustice, the blatant corruption and cronyism. We have a duty to protect our children and their children and on and on from the greed and avarice of the few. Three of the largest protests since the ’80′s and this government has continued this unfair,regressive, obscene injustice.
I’m not paying, they can put their metres with the electronic voting system.
Does anyone have the numbers for the amount of meters that have been removed. I have witnessed it on a large scale. Let’s just say. The are easier and quicker to remove than the are to put in. The water meter fairys are well and truely out and about. A friend of a friend told me of a few estates that are now free of water meters! The A Team of plumbers! Lol
excellent the sooner we can forget these embarrassing water protests the better. epic failure
The only epic fail coming out of this whole sorry saga… is the fact that Fine Gael will FAIL in handing our water supply over to their mate Denis O’Brien!
Dream on boy,welcome to peoplepower,the clock is ticking tick tock tic tock, its the end for you cowardly bluesnirts.
Get used to it……..
if it was an epic fail the why was the water bill reformed ?
What was the attorney General at to let the first one through in the first place ….
I was going to take some time to respond to your post in an intelligent well thought out manner but after reading you post a second time I feel it’s probably more effective to just call you a knob! Certainly a more productive use of my time! As my mother used to say, never argue with a fool as they will always bring you down to their level. Oh I’m not paying (again) either. Got it?
Water meters everywhere but not a drop to drink, lol.
A message to all those cowardly people who have signed up CONVERSATION TOM and his DAD five years from now TOM dad i wont be going to the bungi jumping next week DAD got the shakes tom i think you have no balls TOM i have balls alright but ive just received an fffin water bill for 900 euros and cant afford to go If you had balls five years ago and refused to sign up id be jumping next week moral of the story YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT WHEN IT CAME TO BE COUNTED THEIR DADDY HAD NO BALLS
The only reason meters are in is because of the bully’s boys no respect for anyone .
I’m very annoyed with this water tax billions of wasted money when a member of my family has been diagnosed with that dreaded crohns disease. Several letters have been written to the Health Minister for the return of the medical card but so far it has been refused. The medication is too expensive and he is unable to pay. They haven’t even the decency to reply to the letters. The hospital he is attending has said that without the medication the disease will get worse. A doctors letter sent to the minister has been ignored.
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