Irish Families face €5,000 bill to make drinking water safe

‘Some 200,000 homes, as well as an unknown number of schools, hospitals, creches, prisons and nursing homes, are plumbed using lead piping that poses a health risk to occupants and particularly the very young.

The alarming figures prompted a senior HSE official to warn women against bottle feeding their children.

Environment Minister Alan Kelly now wants to roll out a grant scheme by the end of the summer aimed at providing assistance to low-income households forced to replace lead plumbing in their homes.

The move comes despite the Government insisting as recently as last September that none would be introduced.’

Read more: Irish Families face €5,000 bill to make drinking water safe