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Thousands of children won't get free water - T.D. 10.10.14

THOUSANDS of children will not get the free water allowance that was promised to them by the Government, Sinn Féin has revealed.
And Inishowen parents working in the North who are not in receipt of a child benefit top-up will be liable to pay hundreds more in water charges.
Donegal T.D., Pearse Doherty said this had been confirmed by Irish Water who pointed to the decision to link the free allowance to children in receipt of child benefit from the Department of Social Protection only.
“The reality is that, under the current criteria, thousands of children will not be able to avail of the free allowance. This includes over 4,000 early school-leavers for which parents are not in receipt of child benefit and the children of returning emigrants who do not meet the habitual residency test," said Deputy Doherty.
“Furthermore, the children of families residing here who have a parent working in another EU state also may not qualify for what is a vital allowance. The issue here is that the payment of child benefit is the qualifying indicator for the allowance.
“Under EU rules, it is the state in which the parent is working that pays the child benefit and therefore children will not qualify in situations where a top-up is not being paid by the Irish state."
The Donegal deputy said a family with four children who has a parent working in the North, and who are not receiving the top-up, will be liable for a further €408 in water charges on top of their existing bill.
“This will see thousands of children being left high and dry by the Government. They will be treated like second-class citizens and their parents could find themselves in financial distress as a result."
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