The Tánaiste has confirmed she is investigating claims that people in council houses could be evicted for not paying water charges.
In a heated exchange in the Dáil earlier today, May Lou McDonald TD claimed that Wicklow County Council has told households on its Rental Accommodation Scheme that they could be evicted if they do not pay their water bills.

Joan Burton says she has not seen the letter, but she is asking officials to investigate the claims.

Burton did however admit she would be surprised if a family was evicted from council housing for falling behind on their bills:

“Certainly it would be relatively unusual,” Burton said, “in the Dublin councils, for someone for instance to be evicted because of rent arrears. Normally there would be an attempt to work out an arrangement with the family.”

"I've asked some of the senior officials in my department to get in touch with Wicklow County Council just to establish the facts of the letter.

"I'll comment on that subsequently."

McDonald said this afternoon in a statement that Burton must have known these warnings would be issued to tenants, but ‘passed the buck’ when confronted in the Dáil.

“I raised the matter with the Tánaiste today in the Dáil. I told her that she must have known that these threats were going to be issued. I asked her to guarantee that no more of these letters would be sent out.

“However, in her response, Joan Burton tried to pass the buck. She failed to offer any assurances to RAS tenants, who cannot pay water charges, that they will not be faced with eviction,” McDonald said.

The Sinn Féin deputy leader has said Burton’s “bully-boy tactics” are being used against families who are simply unable to pay.

“The Tánaiste must now assume responsibility and take action to ensure that such an approach is brought to end,” McDonald said.

“She must also address concerns that recipients of rent allowance and those in private rented accommodation could face similar threats of eviction due to any inability to pay water charges,” she added.