Councillors slam Uisce Éireann for ‘bullyboy tactics’
Cllr Boyle alleged ‘letters ‘threatening to cut off’ water supply to constituents
Uisce Éireann were slammed by councillors at the July meeting of the Donegal Municipal District, for “bullyboy tactics” and that they “could not care less.”
Whilst discussing this month’s environment report, recently-installed MD Cathaoirleach, Jimmy Brogan, noted that there was no mention of Uisce Éireann (Irish Water).
Cllr Brogan said: “It is not anybody’s fault but Irish Water. We all need to call Irish Water out as the organisation causing this problem.
“We are calling out farmers and householders, but never calling out Irish Water, not just in Carrick, but in other places.”
Cllr Michael Boyle criticised Irish Water for “bullyboy tactics. He said: “Staying with Irish Water, a lot of farmers have got solicitor letters from Irish Water, threatening to cut off their water.
“It is a lot of older people getting these letters, and they are all scared with what is happening.
“It is very annoying when you look at the people in Leghawney and Teelin. To send letters like that to people. Bullyboy tactics! I don’t know what we can do.
“There are 20 letters sent out from a private company for water to be cut off, and that is only in this Municipal District.
“If we could write to them and get an engineer to look at these premises. It is bullyboy tactics.”
Cllr Niamh Kennedy continued: “Three weeks ago, I made representations on behalf of constituents in Teelin. The response back was, ‘We have now rectified the problem with your customers in County Meath.’
“It was a cut-and-paste job, and it was absolutely ridiculous. They could not care less.”
Rounding up the discussion, Cllr Jimmy Brogan commented: “Irish Water is not a private company. It is state-owned. They need to make sure that the councils still have a say, and the council puts on some pressure.”