Sir, – Fintan O’Toole’s revelation (Opinion, June 4th) that a private company called Abtran, which is, “controlled by a secretive Virgin Islands entity” is going to be the contact point for property tax and water tax customers requires further investigation and explanation.
When I lived in the UK I paid rates to the local council, and if there was a problem with the street lights or the state of the road or garbage collection I spoke directly to a council employee.
Here it seems I shall have to speak to an Abtran call centre rather than the correct council department, I say speak, but almost certainly this will become an online function, in other words the paying customer is being pushed further and further away from the people responsible for delivering the service.
My final point is even more disturbing. A small part of my property and water taxes is going to end up in the pocket of a Virgin Islands outfit instead of being used to improve local amenities or repair burst water mains.
What on earth is going on in the corridors of Leinster House? – Yours, etc,
MIKE CORMACK
Ardagh Close,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.