Irish Water (Uisce Éireann) defends a hotline set up for members of the public to report potential breaches of a hosepipe ban, as a six-week restriction on non-essential water use is due to take effect in six counties. Multiple outlets report that the ban is scheduled to start on Thursday, 16 July and will run for six weeks. The hotline is presented as a mechanism for people to flag suspected instances where water is used for purposes deemed non-essential under the restrictions. The company’s position, as described in the coverage, is that the hotline supports enforcement of the ban and helps ensure the restrictions are followed across the affected areas. Both reports tie the hotline to the launch of the hosepipe ban and frame it as part of the wider effort to manage water usage during the restriction period. Coverage is consistent that the restrictions apply to specific counties and that the ban period is limited to six weeks, beginning in mid-July.