[7] The newly created company effectively took on the existing local authority employees and water management facilities, pipes and infrastructure.

[20] Together with privatisation fears,[21] these public concerns resulted in a significant volume of unreturned application forms,[22] large nationwide protests[23] and pressure on company management and the government during 2014.

[35] In July 2022, it was announced that the company would be renamed from Irish Water to Uisce Éireann as part of a split from its parent body Ervia.

[37][1] The company has been the subject of several civil cases, including one taken by Crohn's Disease sufferer Elizabeth Hourihane,[38] and one taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which initiated proceedings over the standard of water in County Donegal.

[40] The Irish Times newspaper conducted a poll the week before which found that 33% of people intended to boycott water charges.

[41][42] Further demonstrations took place in key provincial towns and cities in November 2014, and on 10 December 2014 approximately 100,000 people protested in Dublin against water charges, with the gardaí setting up barricades to establish a seclusion zone around government buildings.

In response protestors blockaded roads and bridges in the city centre, postponing bus services, until the early hours of the next morning.