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IRISH WATER HAS confirmed that it will begin repaying customers on their water charges from Monday 20 November.
Today, President Michael D Higgins signed the Water Services Bill 2017 into law, clearing the way for water charges to be repaid. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also made the announcement in his weekly message.
An Irish Water spokesperson told TheJournal.ie: “Irish Water expects to begin the refunds process on Monday 20 November. According to our schedules, approximately 90% of cheques will be issued to account holders by the end of the year.”
The spokesperson added, however, that some people could face delays in getting their money back if they haven’t updated their details with the utility.
They said: “Customers are continuing to call 1850 448 448 to update their details. In the past week almost 7,000 people called us to change address, update details or ask what to do in case that the account holder has passed away. Customers can still change their addresses by calling Irish Water after the refunds process starts.
However, if their cheque has issued by the time they contact us, customers may experience some delay as the cheque will need to be cancelled and reissued. When cheques start to issue customers can log in on the Irish Water website to see how much they are due and an approximate date of dispatch of their cheque.
Last month, customers were told that Irish Water would refund the full amount of their water charges before the end of the year.
Refunds totalling €173 million will be paid to 990,000 customers.
Speaking in advance of the start of refunds, head of customer operations for Irish Water, Eamon Gallen said:
“The two big questions that customers have is how much they will receive and when they will receive it.
Household customers can be assured that they will receive the full amount they paid, and customers will shortly be able to check online exactly how much they are due and when there are likely to receive their refund.
“Irish Water have been working in the background for several months to ensure that refunds will be ready to go as soon as we are authorised to do so by government.”
An additional €5 million – on top of the refunds totalling €173 million – will be spent on the cost of letters, cheques, a public information campaign and additional staffing to support the project.
More information on the refunds is available here.
With reporting from Cliodhna Russell.
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In your article you mention the word Customers 10 times. Irish water don’t have any customers because real customers are not bullied, threatened that their water will be reduced to a trickle, have the ground dug up outside their premises for meters they do not want.When is the last time you were a customer with some company who inflicted their business on you against your will?
@Derek Poutch: so many picture everywhere of people smiling opening letters and irish water advertising everywhere the refunds. Are we supposed to be happy that irish water still exist that we are getting refunds from a semi privatised bankrupt company costing the state billions in our taxes? that money wont be the for public serivces and infrastructure cause ff/fg have to privatise our water, this clearly isnt over vote left next election, they lied to you and waste your taxes/money pensions for irish water ceos
And will anyone be held to account? Nope. 5 million wasted alone on giving back refunds. What a shocking waste of money. If it was 5 million in social welfare payments Leo would be having a stroke.
@David Mc Nally: Or another propaganda department…
@Niall Sullivan: plus the other 5 million that we pay the guy to do Leo’s job, there ya go with the wave of a wand 10 Million gone & on what?
@Niall Sullivan: Well said Niall at least there is one Sullivan on this site that makes sense.
Don’t pay when they charge in the future, you already pay through progressive taxation.
@@mdmak33: Scalp or remove your water meter if you have one .no meter .no readings ,
@@mdmak33: VAT and motor tax are regressive
@@mdmak33: yawn
Next Refund …. Obscene unfair Motor Tax levied on pre-2008 car owners since 2008.
New v Old Annual Irish Motor Tax comparison …
€280 annual Motor Tax for new Mercedes C-class 2.1L
€270 annual Motor Tax for new BMW 318 2L
€580 (4x€145) annual Motor Tax for Pre-2008 Toyota Avensis 1.6L
€300 more tax paid by owners of older cars. unfair, unjust obscene.
@Neuville-Kepler62F: Only the poor pay taxes those well off employ accountants……
FG’s spin Dept will be working all weekend making this into a #FeelingGoodWithFG victory message.
The hash tag #christmasbonus in this article makes me sick – that’s the peoples own money (stolen from them). They spin this like it’s a raffle people won! Repaying people – they were made repay the people money.
Showing others how it’s done. Well done Irish water!
@Free comment ratings: No, the people spoke and showed IW how it’s done.
Trickle Trickle water Grant
Tried to stop the rabble Rant
Plebeian class took the Soup
On the double they Recoup
Trickle Trickle Motor Tax
Taken for to fund the Jax
Paying once is very Slick
But paying twice takes the Mick
And nobody answerable for humongous waste of tax payers money…
Give it to the homeless!
@Kenny Wolf:
People can make that decision themselves.
Once the cheque is received they are of course free to donate it. Others may prefer to use it on themselves at Christmas – given it is their money and this is expensive time of year
@Brinster:
People can of course do with what they wish with their refunds. It wasn’t an instruction, more of a suggestion. This money was returned through a revolutionary movement not seen for a long time in this country. Pure people power used to put right an injustice. Wouldn’t it be fitting to use the rewards of that fight to help solve another injustice? Just a thought.
@Kenny Wolf: nope.
@Kenny Wolf: I’d rather it be spent on improving water infrastructure because it’s needed and a few years down the line the people who refused to pay will be the ones complaining about the state of the water system.
@Sam Harms: cool..donate it to IW
@Sam Harms: Everyone who buy’s goods that attract VAT or tax their car already pay for water and it’s infrastructure. The problem is that that money was not used to improve the infrastructure and Leinster house decided to charge people for the same service twice. Personally I’m delight that waste of money Irish Water is sinking beneath the waves. Good riddance to it.
@Sam Harms: millions were wasted and not put into improving infrastructure. The money you paid was probably used to but those Audi’s the top execs drive or to pay for their gym membership. It certainly didn’t go into improving the water system.
@Kenny Wolf: are you giving yours to the homeless?
@The Exhibition Guy!: I will do.
@Kenny Wolf: good for you and respect…
Anyone for a second that thinks Irish Water has disappeared is sadly mistaken. The bill that was slipped through during the week ensures that Irish Water is alive and open to privatisation. To the people who recived refunds… Enjoy because when the monster called Irish Water comes back on line, You will be paying once again. Remember Michael Martin’s U Turn party supported this bill.
We Won , hahaha
@Zossima: only round one. Vigilance is necessary
@Misanthrope: what your another of the I want everything for nothing brigade…
What a load of nonsense. Anyone who paid those gangsters at IW should be at the loss of the money. And i include myself in that. (I paid 350 two weeks ago to close the sale on my house)
@Sinead Hanley: You had no choice Sinead .Many others had a choice but their choice was to be like sheep .It is a example of what ordinary people can achieve despite F.G / F.F / Labour / and some Independents .the main media ,
@David Mc Nally: pussy
@Sinead Hanley: will you now get that money back Sinead?
@Misanthrope: idiot
Cheers! *Clinks glass of water*
Those treacherous compliant wimps that coughed up should get no refund
@Misanthrope: moronic comment.
They said Monday but they didn’t say which Monday.
Thank you water protesters. €100 grant and now a cheque in the post. I won.
Don’t worry, they’ll get it back and then some in years to come.
We need to pay for water. Its not free. I refuse my reimbursement
If I was 20 I’d use it to buy a one way ticket out of here …… but I’m not ,so that kind screws that idea.
I’ll spend it here & a whole lot more so they’ll get it back in taxes anyway!!
I paid 10% of one bill because they hounded me with calls. Never heard from them again after that. Guess the next I hear from them will be when they send my 12 euro back.
Cutting it tight for Xmas!
Just in time to pay the Property Tax
They’ll get us back with the alcohol bill.
That photo is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen re IW to date, they look more likely to be a couple who have just won the lottery rather then look at a bill! Hilarious.:-)
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