Galway East TD Michael Kitt has called for a commitment from the Government to support and create local jobs by ensuring water meters due to be installed in Galway homes will only be installed by local fitters.
Deputy Kitt’s comments follow Environment Minister Phil Hogan’s announcement that the roll out of water meters will begin next year. “I want a commitment from the Minister that he will employ local people only to fit the meters to Galway homes,” Dep Kitt said.
“The meter programme provides an opportunity to create local jobs. A number of people have recently taken courses on fitting water meters and they now have the opportunity to be employed for those skills. However, this is only possible if the Minister agrees to award the contracts locally rather than nationally.
“Families are justifiably concerned about the extra household bills that the Fine Gael/Labour Government is hitting them with next year,” he added. “As well as water charges, Minister Hogan has said that every single house in the country will be hit by a flat-rate household charge from January, regardless of their ability to pay. This means extra hardship for families who are already finding it tough to pay their bills.
“We know very little about these extra taxes and levies other than that we will all have to pay them. The Government is refusing to be upfront about how much more it will add to our household bills over the coming year. Despite all their election promises, Fine Gael and Labour are going back on their word and refusing to be honest with the public.”
Dep Kitt asserted that using the metering system to create local jobs would mean that communities would be able to benefit from an otherwise unsavoury system.
“If the Government is intent on imposing such stealth charges, the very least they could do is ensure that any temporary jobs created out of this will be secured locally,” he said. “I am asking the Minister to make this commitment to the people of Co Galway without delay.”
