Environment Minister Called To Explain 'Bonus Culture' At Irish Water

Environment Minister Alan Kelly has been urged to respond to "revelations regarding the growing bonus culture at Irish Water."

Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Environment and Local Government, Barry Cowen, made the call following reports that staff at Irish Water and its parent company Ervia can earn an extra bonus payment of up to 3% of their salary on top of individual performance-related payments.

In December last year, Minister Kelly said that he did not want to see a "bonus culture" at Irish Water, Deputy Cowen said.

"Minister Kelly must immediately clarify today's reports that staff at Irish Water and its parent company Ervia are entitled to an extra bonus payment of up to 3% of their salary on top of individual performance-related payments," the Deputy added.

"What we are seeing is essentially a situation whereby Irish Water staff are being paid bonuses on top of bonuses despite the fact that the company has been embroiled in controversy since its creation. It is simply unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.

"When the government approved the new board for Ervia, the parent company tasked with overseeing Irish Water, it said that the bonus culture at the super quango would be eradicated. Minister Kelly is on record as having said that he does not want to see the emergence of a bonus culture at the water utility. However now it seems the Minister only made the comments in order to get himself out of a hole at a time when Irish Water was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

"I am calling on Minister Kelly to clarify today's reports and to take immediate action to eradicate the growing bonus culture at the Irish Water super quango as he promised to do last year. Irish Water is entirely a creation of this government and it has been an unmitigated disaster from day one."

(MH/CD)