THE MINISTER WITH responsibility for Irish Water, Alan Kelly, has said it is “absolutely unacceptable” that the utility sent customers’ bank account details to their landlords in error.

TheJournal.ie exclusively reported yesterday that there was a data protection breach at Irish Water after ten customers had their personal bank details sent to their landlords.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time the minister said that shouldn’t have happened and said all the issues that currently face the utility company have to be addressed. He added that all data protection laws must be adhered to.

‘Facing the public’

When asked why the CEO John Tierney was not out answering questions about Irish Water, the minister said that he will be meeting with him this morning, where he said he will tell him that he needs to be out “facing the public”.

He promised that Tierney will be out in the public shortly. He added that he has 100% confidence in John Tierney as CEO of Irish Water.

In relation to bonus payments at the company he said that once the new new board comes into effect at the end of this month, bonus payments will be the “number one thing to look at on the agenda”. Kelly added that anyone can apply to be on the new board of Irish Water.

Kelly reiterated his point that the organisation had to be reinvigorated and they had to re-engage with customers.

“There is no doubt there is difficulty,” said the minister, but he said that water charges have to happen.

“We cant put our head in to sand and say this isn’t going to happen,” concluded Kelly.

Read: Water bills could be delayed as energy regulator looks at deadline>

New scandal: 10 Irish Water customers had their bank details sent to their landlords>