Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould, has today written to Uisce Éireann seeking urgent clarity on a compensation scheme that sees people whose issues have not been responded to with a plan for resolution within five days awarded €30 compensation.

His comments come as the scheme was exposed in the Journal.ie today.

Teachta Gould said:

“For over two years now, my constituents have been complaining to Uisce Éireann about dirty discoloured water. I have not heard of one case where a person has been offered, or even made aware of, this compensation. This is an absolute scandal.

“I have met with Uisce Éireann numerous times. I have raised directly the need for compensation with them. Not once did they mention that this scheme exists, and they have in fact refused compensation claims for people in Cork North Central.

“A constituent had her water tested in October last year. It was February before she actually received the results of this and her water is still brown and discoloured regularly. There is no plan to resolve this. She has not received a cent from Uisce Éireann.

“I am disgusted that Uisce Éireann would leave the people of the Northside paying for bottled water without ever letting them know about this scheme. It seems that Uisce Éireann have to be dragged into accountability kicking and screaming – they denied the dangers of manganese until they were proven wrong, they denied that their water is unsafe until they were proven wrong and now they’ve denied the existence of a compensation scheme until they’ve been proven wrong. It is shameful.

“I have written to them today asking them for clarity on this scheme and how many people in Cork have received payment from it. This is supposed to be a compensation scheme, instead it seems to be the best kept secret in Uisce Éireann.”