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Irish Water’s failure to communicate its strategy is a key weakness
Here is a question – how much of the Irish Water controversy can be explained by poor communications and the failure to convincingly convey its strategy?
As the Government prepares to unveil its new package of sweeten the bitter pill of water charges next week, it should also consider the company’s public relations.
Contrast the water demonstrations to the reaction to the property tax. There are no protests about the levy on homes, people get nothing in return for paying and for most homeowners it is much more expensive than proposed water fees.
Recently Irish Water replaced its external public relations firm FleishmanHillard with Murray Consultants. But Irish Water continues to fall at the first hurdle despite hiring new expert advice.
This week RTÉ News ran a story that many householders may not be able to claim on home insurance if they get significant water bills caused by a leaks.
Irish Water says it will fix the first leak in a householder’s garden or yard for free. The first leak within a home or the second one in a garden or yard would be the responsibility of the occupier.
Regardless of the merits of its policy, the company has a comprehensive answer to the questions of leaks.
Despite the presence of media advisors, both within and outside Irish Water, the company would not offer an interviewee for television to fully explain its policy on air. Instead it was left to Taoiseach Enda Kenny to articulate the strategy in the Dáil.
It may seem like a minor issue, but it exemplifies why the company continues to lose its public battle. If it does not have the courage of its own convictions and won’t defend its policies why should taxpayers have faith in the organisation?
One of the functions of any chief executive in a company such as Irish Water is to communicate their strategy clearly to the public. The organisation’s boss John Tierney has failed in this regard.
Many of those in the semi state sector held Mr Tierney in high esteem but he lacks the required experience to run a customer-focussed organisation.
Perhaps it is unfair to single out Mr Tierney. It is also a function of the board to ensure the company has a robust strategy and that its plans are articulated.
One of the most fundamental errors made by Irish Water was to assume it would be acceptable to pay bonuses to staff when many of its customers had suffered pay cuts, tax hikes or had lost their jobs.
A striking feature of interviews with anti-water charge protesters is that some of the demonstrators accept paying for supplies but have issues with Irish Water itself.
It highlights the fact that charging for supply is only part of the problem.
The other part is the failure to communicate its strategy in an understandable manner to the public.
Irish Water’s head office on Talbot Street in Dublin does not even carry a logo on its exterior. It is hardly a good first step in building public trust.
David Murphy, Business Editor
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