Uisce Éireann – head above water

A thirst for spending

Sir, – Irish Water, after an unnecessary, expensive rebranding and advertising campaign, is now Uisce Éireann. This State-owned organisation is 10 years in existence and spending over €1 billion a year. People are still having to cope with periods of no water, low water pressure and boil-water notices. Leakage is still in the order of 38 per cent, the highest in the EU. Last year employee numbers increased from 823 to 1,231, increasing staff costs from €64.6 million to €100.77 million, with the number of staff earning over €100,000 now at 271. Its latest high-profile advertising campaign is to recruit an additional 700 staff (Business, February 6th). Is Uisce Éireann turning into another free-spending State body with taxpayers’ money going down the drain? – Yours, etc,

BRIAN LUBE,

Kilcock,

Co Meath.