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." |
