Fianna Fáil has hit out at Irish Water after it spent €300,000 on hiring four separate Dublin based PR firms since January 2014.

Spokesperson on Environment Deputy Cowen said the firm appears to be more concerned with its public image than ensuring that water quality and infrastructure is improved.

Deputy Cowen said: "It has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' money trying to improve its image, but the fact of the matter is that Irish Water has been a huge waste of money and no amount of spin or PR can change that. The decision to engage expensive PR strategies is yet another example of the utility splashing cash on consultants rather than investing in much needed infrastructure upgrades.

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"There are thousands of homes in Cork and Galway which have had boil water notices imposed on them – no PR campaign can detract from the fact that their water service is neither safe nor secure. Irish Water has been a calamity from the beginning and Fianna Fáil is committed to abolish this failed entity, suspending water charges and ensuring that money is spent on infrastructure, and not PR, to ensure a safe, quality water service for everyone in the country."

(CD/LM)