The Seanad has this evening passed the much controversial Civil Debt Procedures bill, which in essence is a Governent enforcement tool to take money from people’s wages and social welfare payments.
The Bill will now go to Áras an Uactaráin to be signed into law by President Michael D Higgins.
The bill enables a court to order that water charges, and other debts of between €500 and €4,000, can be deducted from people’s social welfare or salaries.
Despite heavy opposition and angry scenes at Leinster House in the recent past while debating the Bill, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said “it also abolishes imprisonment of debtors and fulfils a commitment made in the Programme for Government in this regard. This is an important milestone.”