The government is preparing to reveal this afternoon how those who paid their water charges can get their money back.
The Cabinet is set to approve the scheme at its first meeting since the Summer break.
Water refunds and upping the response to a national housing crisis are the two big ticket items being discussed at Cabinet today.
Both come from the desk of Minister Eoghan Murphy..
On the refunds:
If you’re a household of 2 adults who paid all five water bills you’re due a refund of 325 euro. If you’re a single adult household who paid all 5 bills you’re due 200 euro.
It gets more complicated after that. If you paid some of the bills that needs to be verified and you’ll get your money back, hopefully in time for Christmas.
But what if you moved home or rental and paid bill 1 and 2 in your old place, and bill 3 in your new place? You’re one of the difficult cases and it’ll run into next year.
The Cabinet has been told a public information campaign is in advanced planning so that those who want their money back can get in touch.
The whole thing will will have an administrative cost of 3 to 4 million euro and a total bill of over 170 million.
That money is coming for unspent funds from departments that are ironically lobbying Minister Paschal Donohoe for fresh funds from the budget.
Next month’s budget, flood defence, the crisis in housing, the latest negative update of fake breath tests and preparations in health for the winter are also on the agenda for an ongoing and busy Cabinet meeting.
On and on water charges – if you paid nothing, you have to do nothing and everyone can keep their conservation grant.
