More than 43,000 residents in Galway have pocketed the Government’s water conservation grant, new figures confirm.
The news comes as thousands of anti-water charges protestors prepare to march in Galway city this weekend.
Joan Burton, the Tánaiste, and minister for social protection, said that some 43,483 households in Galway city and county applied for and received the allowance.
The grant, which despite the name is unrelated to water conservation, is worth €100 annually per household.
It was announced as a ‘sweetener’ to encourage people to register and pay for water charges.
It means that the grant in Galway cost the Department of Environment some €4.3 million up to January 12, 2016.
Nationally, the water conservation grant has cost the state some €94 million, as well as almost €6 million to administer the grant including once-off set-up costs and operational costs.
“Every effort has been made to maximise efficiencies and keep costs to the absolute minimum,” said Minister Burton, in relation to the costs of administering the grant.
She said that the grant will cost the Exchequer €110 million this year. “The Water Conservation Grant is a key element of the Government’s drive to promote conservation and more sustainable use of water services in the home,” Ms Burton added.
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