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IT’S A COMPLICATED ROAD to water charge refunds. Here’s why.
Earlier this week, it was reported that refunds will be approved through an online application process, where those who are entitled to a refund will apply for it online.
Although it’s been decided that those who paid through direct debit – which represents around 20% of all payment methods used – it’s yet to be decided how all other payments will be refunded, which won’t be an easy task.
Here’s a quick reminder of how many customers there are and how much they paid:
Since charges were introduced in January 2015, the charges have been paid through a mixture of cheques, pay points, and credit cards, with some people choosing a variety of payments for each time they paid a charge.
The government will most likely choose one of these to return the charges, based on speed and the simplicity of the process; water charges have been promised to be repaid by the autumn of this year, remember.
Another complication for the process will be the change of addresses. Irish Water insist that many people would have registered their new address with them before now; but many citizens have disassociated themselves from the water utility, so there very well could be people who haven’t notified Irish Water of a change of address.
And for those that haven’t registered a change of address (they also might not have thought it necessary since the water charges were scrapped) this could cause confusion.
For example, if the payment method chosen is cheques, that could be sent to the right household, but the wrong owner.
(If you haven’t, you can get in touch with them here).
A third obstacle, which is linked to the political turmoil attached to this, is the legislation that will allow Irish Water to begin refunding people. Until that’s passed through and approved by the Oireachtas, Irish Water can’t begin the background work into the refund process.
Now, the introduction of the water bill to the houses of the Oireachtas has been delayed until the end of the summer recess (or TDs summer holidays).
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, the Department of Housing, and Local Government, which oversees Irish Water, said:
Legislation is currently being prepared to give effect to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services.
Details of the mechanics and the administrative issues around providing refunds to customers will be developed over the coming period.
Irish Water says that once the payment method is chosen, staff will be trained on how to carry out those payments.
“An operation on this scale requires a period of time to plan it properly, get our systems ready and provide any staff training needed.
It maintains that its “primary concern is that the payment of refunds is as straightforward as possible from a customer point of view”.
We are now putting a team in place to begin this work and we will communicate directly with customers advising them what they need to do to ensure their refund is paid correctly as soon as the legislation is passed and we get a clear policy decision from government.
Although it was thought that the water conservation grant of €100 would be deducted from the water charge refunds, EU rules will most likely block the government from claiming that back, and mean that customers who have applied for it will have received an accumulated €19 million.
It’s still not known where the additional funds will be found to fund the water charges refunds; it’s been suggested that the Department of Finance will look for underpayments in various departments to make up for the total costs.
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This saga just keeps on giving and giving!
@Anne O’Hara: not something that can just go away. We need water services under a heading that maintains the water supply and protects the future water supply. If you already “pay for it” that is fine too.
@Gavin Scott: a centralised approach is fine but not until they get rid of the billing system overhead. This should be the first step to reducing the number of coco to a better level.
@Anne O’Hara: they know who,they got money from. Just give it back.
@rory conway: I vote put it towards the housing crisis.
What say you Entitlement Ireland and LLA? Prefer to get your money back or give it to those who actually need it?
@MK76: I need it.
Never paid in the first place and never took the grant (bribe) so nothing owed on my part in either direction. Personally I believe that those that paid shoudn’t be refunded, as they should have stood with the rest of us and the money taken from IW and given to some charity like the health service.
@Joe Smith: the health service isn’t a charity.
@Hurt Stoogie: I know, but our fine representative in the dail seem to think it is
@Joe Smith: Joe like it or not water has to be paid for either through water charges or an indirect tax. Nothing was won here we will still pay for water.
@Jonathan Gaffey: but the government were looking for it all, keep the general taxation that was meant to maintain the water system AND pay extra to IW. as I said in another article they could have one or the other….not both.
@Joe Smith: my Irish water charges were paid by management company looking after the property I rented when I moved. Despite going to PRTB they were apparently within their rights to do this. So if it’s all the same to you I would like my money back as I got no choice in standing with the rest of you.
@Joe Smith: well I protested against the charges but I couldn’t sell my apartment without paying the bloody charges. So I for one would like my money back. If I didn’t pay myself,
my husband and two kids would still be stuck in the old shoe box apartment. The sale wouldn’t go through without water charges and property tax paid in full
@Elaine Brehony: This is a disgrace Elaine, who gave our govt the right to make this law just to suit Irish water. This has all been about trying to scare the public into paying into this scam. I hope they have learned their lesson that in future people won’t accept the shit that’s thrown at them.
@Joe Smith: looking forward to getting my money back. Cheers joe.
@Joe Smith: You say those who paid “should have stood with the rest of us”!? Anyone who didn’t pay, theoretically at least, was breaking the law by not paying a bill that was due. How this equates to your view that those who paid shouldn’t be refunded is beyond me. Should the same apply to parking fines and gas bills?
The media have given this government one easy ride into this fup up,how nobody has fallen over this asks series questions
@dick dastardly: in fairness this just seems to be a pipe that burst that is difficult to fix no matter how water management was setup. If anything this strengthens the case to have an centralised approach of some sort
I mean,what exactly did the Government get out of all this in the end. Irish Water suits laughing their holes off…at them and us.
They can’t even refund the money correctly
Just lob it in with me fuel allowance and I’ll be looking forward to a bumper Christmas.
@Emmet Dillane: I imagine your comment will be lost on some people but I get ya
@Emmet Dillane: Ah, this persona is a doler?
@DaisyChainsaw: a government artist
Draws the dole
@DaisyChainsaw: I would assume they all are.. Full time troll pays 188 euro a week now.
I’ve been looking back at previous irish water tax articles on the journal. They are pretty hilarious! From Coveney stating the refund money is already spent, to irish water spending 70 million on consultants, to Kelly saying 77% of people are paying in a factcheck, (which was found to be true), to the IW quango costing over a billion to set up, etc, etc, etc, ….and the most hilarious thing is, all they seemingly collected in the end, that is deemed refundable is a very skimpy 170 million euros!
Fg labour farce,and it’s still costing the public money.
Well said Joe Smith, someone with a bit of sense.
If we owed money to the government it would be collected asap..
@Terry O’Callaghan: well in fairness it’s easier to pay one government than a few hundred thousand people whose addresses, bank details etc may have changed
The gom government could have kept the USC as it was and never mentioned water tax
@Quentin Moriarty: that would mean once again the working class pays for everyone….
Anyone I know who paid was an FG supporter so Leo is looking after them. Fair enough that’s politics but they should be thanking the campaign against the charges rather than Leo.
If you weren’t in ya can’t win.
@Brian Farrell: I already won by not paying in the first place.
@DaisyChainsaw: I got two water grants.. one for the place I own and another for a place I rent. I spent the 200 on hookers and coke. It was a fantastic night that I never will forget.
@Hello there friend: must have been some real classy gals
@Hello there friend: Can’t of been that good, I mean you remember it!
@Hello there friend: This water thing was cursed from day 1 and as sure as eggs this refund issue will be an even bigger problem
@Hello there friend: Must have been cheap coke & even cheaper hookers. At least you enjoyed yourself. Lol
Greatest clusterfck imaginable
The water conservation grant is really being shown up for the unbelievable level of stupidity that it was
What happened to the propaganda about the Europe saying we had to have water charges or else?
I know some people who paid and have sinced passed away ,I dont suppose their relatives will get their refund .!!
@Catherine O’Brien: Their estates will. Be nice to the executor.
Ah here. Another barely readable article. It’s been worse than usual today. Maybe it’s something in the water. Proof-reading is your friend.
Baaahhhhahahaahha and can i just say Baahhaaaaahahabhaha
Big phil, Enda, Joan, Kelly.
Up yours.
Funny how so many moaned about paying it. And now with refunds coming they’re still complaining.
They’ll be paying this back on the drip….
LOL…BANANA REPUBLIC…
Why not refund it as a credit against the household tax for those who paid.
They should be Fined €100 for being so stupid for signing up to pay that tax in the first place..F##K##G IDIOTS..
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