Irish Water has been slammed for spending taxpayers' money on an advertising campaign.

Fianna Fáil Environment Spokesperson Barry Cowen TD said hundreds of thousands of euro is being spent on a campaign to tell people what they already know.

Deputy Cowen said: "Once again we see Irish Water spending taxpayers' money on frivolous extras without investing much needed funds into repairing and upgrading our water services. Instead of lecturing people on the fact that drinkable water doesn't fall out of the sky, this over-bloated utility should be putting this money towards ensuring that drinking water is safe and secure and that boil water notices are lifted without delay.

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"The timing of this campaign is particularly crass, with the ads being rolled out as the first water bills landing on people's doorsteps. Obviously these ads were commissioned to appease angry taxpayers who are frustrated by the series of calamities that have come about as a result of the gross mismanagement of this bonus driven super quango. The fact that they have had to spend €650,000 on an 'information campaign' is further proof that is has been unable to persuade the public that it can be trusted to carry out its work effectively."

(CD)