Updated 21.07

IRISH WATER IS to create 1,600 jobs as part of its nationwide metering programme.

The company, which has been tasked with overseeing the metering ahead of the introduction of charges late next year, said that jobs will be available across the country and recruitment begins immediately.

The first of the positions will come on stream within the next few weeks, and the installation process will run until September 2016. More than one million water meters will be installed outside of homes around the country and it is expected that Kildare will be the first county to receive the meters.

A total of 25 per cent of the jobs are to be allocated to unemployed people, graduates, school leavers, and small businesses.

John Tierney, the head of Irish Water, said that creating a national water utility was “one of the biggest tasks ever carried out in the semi state sector”.

Around 27,000 meters are to be installed every month.

The Department of the Environment confirmed earlier this week that the charges would apply from the fourth quarter of 2014, with the first bills issued the following January.

- Additional reporting by Christine Bohan

- Originally published 09.02

Read: Dublin City Council head John Tierney appointed new boss at Irish Water >

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