Laws allowing unpaid water bills to be taken from wages and welfare payments have been passed by the Seanad.

The Civil Debt Bill was passed in a vote this evening by 20 votes to 13 and now goes to Aras an Úachtaráin to be signed into law this weekend.

The bill can apply to any debts between 500 and 4,000 euro, including utility bills and debts to small businesses or sole traders.

The passage of the bill has been welcomed by justice minister Frances Fitzgerald, who says it offers "balanced" measures for recovering debts.