Clare Campaigners against water charges say figures showing less than half of households have paid their first water bill is proof their efforts are working.
However, he Taoiseach is denying that the low payment figure for Irish Water bills is "a mess".
Irish Water has confirmed that 30 point 5 million euro of the 66 point 8 million its owed for the first three months of the year has been collected, which represents 46 per cent of households having paid their bills.
Government figures have called this a solid start – in the Dáil Taoiseach Enda Kenny thanked those who have paid and says more will do so.
The Minister for the Environment says a significant income stream has been established, and that the figures mean there will be no changes to Irish Water's financial plans.
Alan Kelly says he expects that 'one way or the other', in time, everyone will pay their bill – and although there was no official target for the initial billing cycle – he's happy.
But Niamh O'Brien from the Clare Says No To Water Charges Campaign says the high numbers of people who haven't paid their bills shows their campaign is working.
She believes those who have paid did so as a result of what she's called Government scare tactics.
