The European Union (EU) has been “monitoring” the potential rollout of charges for excessive water consumption in Ireland, a Department of Housing official has revealed.
Reports earlier this year indicated that preparations were advancing to implement fees for overuse of water, a move that Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald condemned as water charges “by the back door”, reports Breaking News.
The Government maintained that its approach to improving Ireland’s deteriorating water infrastructure via general taxation had not altered, reports Breaking News.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin stated there would be “no return to water charges” while Housing Minister James Browne indicated he was not contemplating the introduction of charges for excessive usage “at this time”.
Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request reveal that officials in the Department of Housing were laying the foundations for regulations that would permit exemptions from charges for excess water use, reports Breaking News.
The emails indicate that civil servants had, earlier in the year, consulted with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) regarding their data protection responsibilities when handling information on individuals eligible for exemptions from excess water use charges, reports Breaking News.
The FOI records further disclose that a civil servant from the water services section noted the EU was “monitoring” the charge and had inquired about it in January: “It should be also noted that the EU are monitoring the introduction of this charge with the query below from January 2025:
“Are IE authorities finally implementing the ‘excessive use’ charges for domestic users of water services? Can they explain why there has been such a long delay in implementing this?”
The reply to the inquiry, circulated among housing officials on the morning of March 11, indicated that two draft statutory instruments to enable exemptions from water charges “are near completion and await consideration by the new minister and Government in due course”, reports Breaking News.
The emails were exchanged on the same day the Irish Independent reported that water charges were “on the way back as wastage targeted”.
A briefing document prepared for Mr Browne, who assumed the role of housing minister on January 23, outlined key departmental priorities, including the excess water charges, and was disclosed under FOI that month, reports Breaking News.
The day following the Irish Independent publication, a proposed media response circulated among officials proposed that efforts to advance the statutory instruments had been abandoned.
“This measure is not in the programme for government and there are no plans to introduce it. There is no further work being done on these regulations,” it said, reports Breaking News.
A senior official in the Department of Housing explained that the charge was designed to promote water conservation and would “ensure” Ireland’s adherence to the EU water framework directive.
They said it was “not intended as a revenue-raising measure”, reports Breaking News.
A legal basis for billing households for excessive water consumption already exists in the Water Services Act 2017, known as the household water conservation charge.
The regulations governing exemptions to these charges were revised in 2023 and reviewed once more in 2025, reports Breaking News.
The exemptions would apply to homes with more than four occupants and to individuals with medical conditions likely requiring above-average water consumption, reports Breaking News.
In a note from February 12th 2025, it was recorded that once the exemption regulations are established, they “can proceed with implementing the household water conservation charge”.
An estimated 83,000 households, representing approximately 9.4 per cent of domestic customers, consume over 213,000 litres annually, according to a briefing note, reports Breaking News.
The island of Ireland remains the only area in the EU without metered water charges.
A working group on water conservation was established in 2025, with its inaugural meeting occurring in June, reports Breaking News.
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