People Before Profit is hitting out at plans by Irish Water to cut 1,500 jobs between now and 2021.
The figure is contained in the utility's business plan, as unveiled by its parent company Ervia this morning.
It is going to invest €5.5bn of capital in improving water quality, capacity and infrastructure - but is aiming to cut costs by €1.1bn.
That is to be achieved through a combination of factors including reducing the cost of payroll and repairs.
People before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett says the announcements confirm his worst fears.
"First of all we're going to lose 1,500 jobs - very important to say these are the frontline jobs" he said.
"The consultants stay, the highly paid executives stay, the private companies to whom Irish Water are now outsourcing the work who have to make a profit - they all stay".
"But the frontline people who actually have knowledge and experience of the water infrastructure are going to be lost" he added.
Michael McNicholas, Ervia CEO, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast earlier.
Under the plan, the company says it will achieve the following by 2021:
- Eliminate the risk of drinking water contamination for 940,000 people
- Lifr all current boil water notices
- Reduce leakage from 49% to 38% - saving 180 million litres every day
- Implement a national lead strategy to reduce risk of contamination in up to 140,000 homes and an additional 40,000 homes on shared services
- End the discharge of untreated wastewater at 44 locations
- Increase water and wastewater capacity to support social and economic development.
- Invest €5.5 billion on water infrastructure over the next 6 years
