Single people financially penalised

Sir, – I have just received a call from Irish Water looking for its money. On the one hand I do understand the need to pay for such services. However I think that the charge is deeply unfair. I am living in a single-person household and am required to pay €160 per year. Those living in multiple-person households are paying €260. On the face of it, yes, they are paying more and they are using more water.

However, if we work this out per person, they are paying less for water. A person in a two-person household is paying €130 per capita as against €160 in a one-person household. A person in a three-person household is paying €86.66 per capita, and so on.

This is part of a discriminatory trend in Ireland where single people are punished for being such. If you go to a hotel or on holidays, you are required to pay a single supplement. If you buy insurance you are deemed a higher risk. Families can avail of additional tax credits for dependents, or for spouses who are not working or using all their tax credits.

It is every bit as expensive, in fact, more so in some cases, to run a one-person household, particularly in Dublin, as you have no economies of scale. – Yours, etc,

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N BYRNE,

Fairview,

Dublin 3.