The approval of a pay hike of €108,000 for the chief executive of Uisce Éireann has been described by Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins as a ‘kick in the teeth’ for people across West Cork who are living with failing water infrastructure every single day.

Deputy Collins raised the issue during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil last week and condemned the Government for approving a 47% pay increase for the chief executive of Uisce Éireann, which brings his current salary to €333,000 up from €225,000.

He said this pay increase happens at a time when communities across West Cork endure water shortages, burst mains and decades-long delays in vital infrastructure upgrades.

‘Hardship’

During an exchange with Tánaiste Simon Harris, he highlighted the stark contrast between ‘lavish rewards’ at the top and ‘hardship’ on the ground.

‘While the Tánaiste tried to deflect with some mild criticism around the procedural and communications failures of Uisce Éireann, it will not have gone unnoticed that he completely evaded any discussion of the massive salary hike that his Government sanctioned for the chief executive.

I think he avoided addressing the issue because he knows it cannot be justified,’ said Deputy Collins.

‘How can this Government justify handing the chief executive an extra €108,000 a year while families are left out of pocket buying bottled water, while creches close due to water outages.’

He said West Cork villages are waiting decades for waste water upgrades.

Outages

Residents of both Shannonvale and Ballinscarthy have experienced numerous water outages in recent months, with many experiencing no water over the Christmas period.

Ongoing issues with Shannonvale Park have also seen locals criticise the state body for inaction with the park now closed for almost three decades due to raw sewage present in the park, while Uisce Éireann was convicted and fined €4,000 at the Dublin Metropolitan Court last October for breaches of waste water discharges in a prosecution taken out by the EPA (Environment Protection Agency).

Troublesome water mains in Adrigole have also affected residents where some were left without water 15 times in the past year alone while in some case taps ran dry for up to 12 days, while residents in Macroom have experienced multiple boil water notices over the past four years. 

‘Uisce Éireann has become untouchable, uncontactable and unaccountable. Yet this Government refuses to impose timelines or consequences and now rewards failure with a pay rise that stinks to high heaven.’

Deputy Collins added that this tone deaf €108,000 pay hike ‘points to a golden circle of public service payouts where senior executives pocket six-figure rewards regardless of delivery and in the absence of any genuine form of accountability.'