Uisce Éireann, formerly Irish Water, is facing scrutiny over the payment of €13.1 million in performance bonuses to staff in 2024, a year when nearly 60% of the nation's water treatment plants failed to meet required standards. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that 59% of existing treatment plants did not consistently adhere to the standards set in their operating licenses, with nearly half of these failures attributed to poor operational management.
The utility has been prosecuted by the EPA 35 times for inadequate wastewater treatment. Despite these operational shortfalls, Uisce Éireann increased its performance bonus payouts by €2.5 million, or 24%, in 2024. These figures were presented to the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee in January.
In 2024, 47 of Uisce Éireann's highest-paid employees received an average bonus of €21,575. Senior executives earning between €122,000 and €225,000 annually were awarded bonuses ranging from €6,606 to €32,509. Additionally, 103 employees with salaries between €102,000 and €154,000 received average bonuses of €16,056, and 459 employees earning between €83,000 and €125,000 received average bonuses of €11,733.
Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, questioned the rationale behind these bonuses, particularly when 120 instances of operational failures were identified at treatment plants. She stated that the public expects accountability, not a bonus system that appears disconnected from performance. Taoiseach Micheál Martin acknowledged the seriousness of the EPA's findings and indicated he had raised the issue with Uisce Éireann, expressing surprise if those involved in the failings had received bonuses.
Uisce Éireann defended its bonus structure, stating that its pay model has been in place since 2013 and aligns with practices in other semi-State companies. The company emphasizes a focus on delivering safe and reliable water services and environmental protection. They noted that performance targets are linked to key business deliverables and that a thorough review process is conducted for each employee. According to the utility, only about 6.5% of eligible staff, approximately 150 employees, had their bonuses reduced or eliminated due to underperformance.
The CEO of Uisce Éireann, Niall Gleeson, has a total remuneration package of €275,000, including a €225,000 salary. However, he is not eligible for performance-related bonuses due to a 2011 government decision affecting semi-State company chief executives. Gleeson has previously defended the bonus scheme, describing it as representing "value for money."