The Tánaiste says she's investigating claims that people in council houses could be evicted for not paying water charges.

Wicklow County Council has told households on its Rental Accommodation Scheme that they could be kicked out for not paying the charges.

Joan Burton says she hasn't seen the letter, but she's asking officials to investigate the claims.

But she says she'd be surprised if a family was evicted from council housing for falling behind on their bills.

"It would be relatively unusual - certainly in the Dublin councils - for someone to be evicted because of rent arrears," she said.

"Normally there would be some attempt to work out an arrangement with the family."

The letter was raised in the Dáil by Sinn Féín's Mary Lou McDonald - prompting the Tánaiste to say that the Wicklow office which sent the letter was overseen by a local Sinn Féin councillor.

This afternoon she added, however, that she hadn't seen the letter in question.

"I would just be surprised - let's put it this way - if that were to be the case," she said.

"I've asked some of the senior officials in my department to get in touch with Wicklow County Council just to establish the facts of the letter.

"I'll comment on that subsequently."