Independent councillor Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig has called on Donegal County Council NOT to hand over personal details of tenants to Irish Water.
The Gaoth Dobhair politician said that the handing over of council housing tenants details to Irish Water would be a “disgraceful invasion of privacy which undermines our local democracy” and says that he intends to ask the council to seek tenants’ permission before complying.
“My understanding is that the legislation introduced to create Irish Water, compels council staff to provide the information requested by Irish Water.”, he said.
“Regardless of what the elected members may decide at the special meeting on Friday called to discuss the fiasco around Irish Water, we will be unable to instruct the Council not to comply. Once again this government has undermined and devalued our system of local democracy by allowing the demands or a discredited quango to take precedence over the wishes of the elected representatives of the people of the county.
“Tenants are outraged that the privacy and confidentiality of their relationship with the council will be breached in this way. I intend to raise this question and ask that the Council seeks prior permission from tenants before providing any information to this outside agency.
“Council tenants can best respond to this invasion of privacy by joining in the boycotting of water charges when the bills are due in January. That is the surest way to bring about the end of Irish Water.”
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