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Showing posts with label Joe Dalton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Dalton. Show all posts
 Joe Dalton answers 13 questions in a Booker's Dozen.

TPQ: What are you currently reading? 

 JD: Currently reading Dee Brown’s Hear that Lonesome Whistle Blow. It’s a book that I wanted to read for some time, which I finally got a copy of. It’s the story of the construction of the first American rail roads. Enjoying it so far. I just got a copy of the Secret Barrister’s, Stories of the Law and How it’s Broken. Enjoyed reading their blog articles so looking forward to reading it. 

TPQ: Best book you have ever read? 

 JD: Well one of the reasons for wanting to read the above book was having read Dee Brown’s other classic, Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee about the history of the Native American Indians. I read that after backpacking around the west of America just after I graduated from UCD. Probably the most powerful book I ever read. Best fiction book, I would probably say was Alexander Dumas’s Count of Monte Cristo. A great story of revenge and intrigue that I couldn’t put down. 

TPQ: A must-read before you die? 

 JD: I tried reading Orientalism by Edward Said some years ago but didn’t get very far. I found it very heavy going. It’s regarded as his magnum opus so maybe I should give it another go. The location of my work over the past number of years would possibly make it more interesting for me to read now.

TPQ: A preference for fact or fiction? 

 JD: Definitely fact. Though I do enjoy the escapism of fiction from time to time and should probably make an effort to read more of it. 

TPQ: Favourite female author? 

 JD: Sorry to say there aren’t many female authors that I have read more than one book of. Something I need to rectify perhaps. One that I have is Dambisa Moyo. She is a very clever economist from Lusaka, Zambia. Her first book had a big influence on me as I elaborate on below. 

TPQ: Favourite male author? 

 JD: I have read a number of Richard Dawkins’s books, which I greatly enjoyed. My favourite was probably The Greatest Show on Earth about the evidence for evolution. Being a rock music fan, who dabbles with actually playing as well, I really enjoy Mick Wall’s books about the famous rock and metal bands. 

A Berlin Book Tower in memory of the Nazi book burning.

TPQ: First book you ever read? 

 JD: Hard to remember my first as a child, but my first Roald Dahl book was The Witches. Became a bit hooked on his books after that. 

TPQ: Favourite childhood author? 

 JD: Definitely Roald Dahl. Read a good chunk of his books. Also read CS Lewis’s entire Chronicles of Narnia. 

TPQ: Any book you point blank refuse to read? 

 JD: I generally avoid biographies unless the person is especially interesting. I am particularly bemused by celebrity culture and people who publish biographies when it seems to me that they haven’t accomplished anything of value. I have no interest in reading about their lives.

TPQ: Any author you point blank refuse to read? 

 JD: Gerry Adams. For all his talents as a political leader, I find his writing style somewhat mawkish and self-serving. This is from reading his articles. As a result, I’ve never been drawn to his books despite being very interested in Irish history and politics generally. If I was to get any of his books, it would probably be the cook book. 

TPQ: Pick a book to give to somebody so that they would more fully understand you. 

 JD: I’ve worked a lot in Africa over the years, mainly related to capacity building of local water utilities. The work is interesting and rewarding but can be frustrating. If anyone has ambition to work in international development, particularly in Africa, I would recommend Dambisa Moyo’s Dead Aid: How Aid Is Not Working And How There Is A Better Way For Africa to be top of your reading list. It has been a huge influence on me and reflects my own thinking and experience. The subject matter sounds heavy, but it is actually really easy to read. I’ve already read it twice and suspect I’ll be revisiting it again.

 The essence of her argument is that aid dependency has kept African countries in a childlike state. Some countries have over half their revenues coming from hand-outs. This had bred corruption and lethargy. She outlines a way that African countries can grow organically with their leaders being held to account by their own taxpayers. Ultimately, while people in the West can help, Africa will only succeed through their own initiative. Dambisa is herself African and makes a powerful argument. 

TPQ: Last book you gave as a present? 

 JD: That was actually a children’s book A Children’s ABC of the Gulf. It was written by an Irish woman, Orla Taylor, who was inspired by her time living in Bahrain, where I have been based for the past few years. She wanted to give her children something to remember of their time there by writing an ABC guide based on their everyday observations. 

TPQ: Book you would most like to see turned into a movie?

 JD: Having worked in the Arab and Muslim world for a long time, I would love to see After the Prophet: The Epic Story Of The Shia-Sunni Split In Islam by Lesley Hamilton made into a film, though the Islamic blasphemy laws would probably prevent it. It is an incredible drama with extraordinary characters. Shame it will never happen as it would have the potential to match the great epics like Ben Hur, Spartacus and the Passion of the Christ. If done well, it could educate a lot of people about this part of the World.


Joe Dalton blogs @ Joe's Water Blog 


Follow Joe Dalton on Twitter @JoeEmmetDalton 

Booker's Dozen @ Joe Dalton

Joe Dalton on Why the tolerance of Irish businesses refusing to pay for water needs to end.

There is a uniquely strong culture in Ireland that believes water should be free at the point of use. This led to the successful campaign to abolish domestic water charges following their attempted introduction in 2014. This culture also appears to extend to many in the business community, despite commercial charges being present in Ireland for many years.
Poor Payment Culture

At the height of the economic boom of the so called “Celtic Tiger”, commercial billing collection efficiency never exceeded 66%[1]. Therefore, at least 34% of commercial users of water seemed to think that they should be exempted from paying for water as well.
Prior to the establishment of Irish Water, the 34 local authorities each had their own commercial charging arrangements. This resulted in a vast array of commercial charges, with the most expensive Council (Wicklow) being almost double the cheapest (Kildare)[2]. Average Commercial Water Charge (€/m3) per Local Authority Area (Expert Commission on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services)

Following the creation of Irish Water, these commercial charges were frozen at their January 2014 level. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) reported that many local authorities had not revised commercial water charges since 2009. Therefore, the Irish taxpayer has effectively protected these businesses from the effects of inflation for an extended period.
Businesses who refuse to pay are stealing from the taxpayer

When the recession hit in 2008, collection efficiency dropped from its peak of 66% to only 52%. Author Michael Brennan reported that Councils were “sympathetic and sensitive” of the challenges businesses faced in what were turbulent economic times.

I would completely share this sensitivity for those commercial users who consistently paid their water bills during the boom times. It is however a bit rich to be sensitive to commercial users who appeared to never have any attention of paying their bills in the first place.

The reality is that commercial enterprises who actively refuse to pay their water bills are stealing water and money from the Irish taxpayer. Yet there seems to be little outrage about this.
Businesses have no right to free water

The CRU finally published its long awaited decision on a consolidated national commercial water charging policy in July of this year (2019) following an extensive consultation process[3]. Such a policy was undoubtedly overdue and arguably should have been prioritised before domestic charges were ever considered.

The governing legislation further allows for Irish Water to disconnect commercial users as a “measure of last resort” if they continually refuse to pay. This is right and proper. The human right to water does not extend to the right to free water to run a business.
Too many excuses

Yet the prospect of Irish Water having a consolidated commercial charging policy, with appropriate regulatory oversight, seems to be concerning the business community and some in local Government. The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) fears that high commercial water bills would hit the profitability of Irish enterprises[4]. Chair of Arklow Municipal District, Councillor Pat Fitzgerald expressed concern at the prospect of Irish Water disconnecting business for refusing to pay[5].

Treated in isolation, the concerns of the IDA and of Councillor Fitzgerald sound reasonable. When factoring in the consultative process that they were free to engage in with the CRU, and the context of the poor payment culture of Ireland’s businesses, they are not. It is unfortunately reflective of the culture in Ireland that businesses should be able to get away without paying for water.

In genuine cases, flexibility should be shown to businesses with cash flow problems. Otherwise, Irish businesses should pay their water bills or face the consequences. No excuses. Anything else is theft.


[1] Reported by Michael Brennan in his book In Deep Water, ISBN: 9781781176580, published by Mercier Press.

[2] Report of the Expert Commission on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services, available at https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/report-of-expert-commission-on-domestic-public-water-services.pdf

[3] Irish Water’s Non-Domestic Tariff Framework, CRU Decision Paper, Commission for Regulation of Utilities, available at https://mk0cruiefjep6wj7niq.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CRU19074-CRU-Decision-Paper-Irish-Waters-Non-Domestic-Tariff-Framework-1.pdf

[4] IDA warns Irish Water is adding to Businesses’ costs, article by Michael Brennan in the Business Post, 8th December 2019, available at https://www.businesspost.ie/climate-environment/ida-warns-irish-water-is-adding-to-businesses-costs-0dedcad0

[5] Water supply to be cut if bills not paid, article in Wicklow People, 7th December 2019, available at https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/news/water-supply-to-be-cut-if-bills-not-paid-38750849.html


Joe Dalton blogs @ Joe's Water Blog 


Follow Joe Dalton on Twitter @JoeEmmetDalton 

Irish Businesses Should Pay Their Water Bills

Joe Dalton offers his take on a book about Irish Water @ Joe's Water Blog - Water Warriors, Profiteers, Heroes and Villains – A view from Ireland and Bahrain.

Michael Brennan, the Business Post political editor, has written a fantastic book, In Deep Water, that chronicles the fiasco of the failed attempt to introduce domestic water charges across Ireland, from before their introduction in 2014 to after their suspension in 2016. It describes the creation of the national water utility “Irish Water”, which took over water service responsibility from 34 local authorities (since consolidated to 31). 

The precision in the writing means that not a word is wasted across the just over 300 pages. This is a political thriller of where water and society meet, which deserves to be widely read. It will appeal to readers on both sides of the water charges argument that gripped Ireland like no other issue in recent years.

Brennan goes for short chapters, which provide a compelling parallel narrative featuring all of the key players including politicians, Government advisors, civil servants, utility staff and anti-water charge protestors. Every one of the 61 chapters packs a punch. It provides a compelling insight into how Government functions and interacts with wider society. 

A Neglected Water Service

The book leaves little doubt that reform of the water sector in Ireland was needed. The chapter “A Neglected Water Service” provides a shocking and infuriating tale of inefficiency under the previous Council regime, with reports of “useless” wastewater treatment plants, raw sewage discharges and lack of knowledge of the location of the water and sewerage networks.

One of the most jaw dropping passages in the book described the unexpected death of a council water technician in Carrick-on-Suir in County Tipperary. He was the only person who knew the location of the water pipe network. It was never recorded on a Geographical Information System (GIS), as is standard practice across the World. I have personally worked with utilities in several African towns with more sophisticated water network mapping than Carrick-on-Suir. 

Government Panic

Reading the book, I was struck by the frequency of the words “panic” and “rushed”. So many flawed decisions with far reaching consequences for Ireland’s water infrastructure were made for blinkered political reasons. Civil servants too often saw their job as unquestionably following Government policy, ignoring advice that countered it.

For example, a patently ludicrous “cost benefit analysis” was prepared to justify the roll out of universal domestic metering. Brennan interestingly highlights that it was prepared by anonymous civil servants, which is apparently a common practice. This surely cannot be right. No one with knowledge of the issue would have appended their names to such a document.

The books gives the lie to the notion that “hindsight” is necessary for understanding the challenges of reforming Ireland’s water sector. Good advice was available at the time. The Government chose not to take it. 

Water Charges Defeated

While the water engineer in me was sorry to see water charges defeated, this book shows why (at least part of) the Irish citizen in me is glad.

The book details positive aspects to their failure, which should be acknowledged. There was an extraordinary comradery among the anti-water charge protestors who had suffered seemingly endless austerity. Brennan refers to the rediscovery of the Irish tradition of meitheal, where neighbours come together to bring home the harvest. A vivid example is given of a Cobh resident who was suffering from depression. The protests gave him a sense of purpose and social inclusion.

Another positive aspect of their failure is the apparent end of the Government obsession with “off balance sheet” spending, what I would argue was the “original sin” of the whole fiasco. It was the Government that underinvested in Ireland’s water infrastructure for decades. Their failed attempt to get Irish Water off the Government’s books was an attempted abdication of responsibility by multiple Government departments. 

Ireland needs Irish Water

“Abolish Irish Water” became a populist cry during the anti-water charge protests. Yet I struggle to understand how anyone who reads this book with an open mind could continue to argue that Ireland doesn’t need a national water utility. Setting it up was the right thing to do.

Former Irish Water Managing Director John Tierney, who declined to be interviewed for the book, was vilified throughout his tenure. In the book he is shown as an honest public servant who commanded the loyalty of his staff while trying to do a very challenging and stressful job. His reluctance to being interviewed is perhaps illustrative of his inability to adequately communicate the utility position during the crucial early stages of the establishment of Irish Water.

The story is not over. Something Brennan only alludes to in the book, but has written about elsewhere, is the tension that exists right up to the present between the Council water workers and Irish Water.

John Tierney was recruited as Managing Director due to his Council background and his apparent ability to get the Council workers on board. This does not appear to have been achieved. The reasons why would make for an interesting afterword.

Michael Brennan, 2019, In Deep Water, How People, Politics and Protests Sank Irish Water.      Mercier Press. ISBN-13: 978-1781176580.


Joe Dalton blogs @ Joe's Water Blog 



Follow Joe Dalton on Twitter @JoeEmmetDalton 

Political Thriller Of Irish Water

Joe Dalton believes the response to the Cape Town water crisis can be an inspiration to the World (and especially to Ireland). 

Cape Town Water Crisis – An Inspirational Response

Water Engineer/Consultant Joe Dalton writing in Joe's Water Blog opens with:

In my second article analysing the work of the Irish Oireachtas (Parliamentary) Committee on Water, I praise the contribution of the Group Water Schemes.

In Praise Of Ireland’s Group Water Schemes

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