Taoiseach Micheál Martin has reaffirmed that there will be no return to water charges in Ireland for the moment, speaking to reporters in Texas, reports RTE.
His statement follows the Department of Housing’s announcement that there are no plans “at this time” to introduce charges for excessive water use by households.
The department clarified that while Minister for Housing James Browne had received a briefing note on the topic, no formal proposal has been presented to him, and such charges are not included in the current Programme for Government, reports RTE.
The department acknowledged that work on the issue had begun under the previous administration but confirmed that Minister Browne is not currently considering bringing in water charges.
Last September, Uisce Éireann outlined its water charges plan, under which every household will receive an annual allowance of 213,000 litres, with additional allocations based on household size. According to the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, the average household in Ireland consumes 125,000 litres of water per year, reports RTE.
Under this plan, households exceeding their allocated allowance will face an excess use charge, capped at €250 per year for both water and wastewater services. Uisce Éireann will apply a rate of €1.85 for every 1,000 litres used beyond the threshold.
Currently, Irish households do not pay for water supply or wastewater services.
In a statement to RTÉ News, the Department of Housing said that the Household Water Conservation Charge aims to promote water conservation and ensure Ireland’s compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive. The department emphasized that the charge is not designed to generate revenue, reports RTE.
Before the conservation charge is introduced, regulations must be finalized regarding additional free water allowances for individuals with health needs and for larger households. These regulations are currently in progress and are expected to be completed soon.
Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson for Housing, Eoin Ó Broin, criticized the Government’s stance, calling it a “Trojan horse” for the eventual reintroduction of water charges, reports RTE.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime, Ó Broin noted that a Joint Oireachtas Committee had previously put forward eight detailed water conservation recommendations, which the Government ignored.
“We had an entire chapter on water conservation and eight very detailed recommendations, all of which this government has ignored,” he said, reports RTE.
Ó Broin argued that when the Government introduced the idea of charges for excessive use, it was not in the context of conservation but rather funding and compliance issues.
“It was to do with issues of funding and compliance … which is why I’m absolutely convinced this proposition is a Trojan horse for the stealth introduction of water charges,” he added, reports RTE.
He also stressed the need for alternative measures to reduce excessive water consumption, including exemptions for certain groups, particularly pensioners living in older properties who may struggle financially to update their water systems.
“For those households who do not have the means to undertake that work, an exemption should be an option, absolutely,” he said, reports RTE.
Ó Broin called for a broader approach to water conservation, including a public education campaign, a retrofitting programme, and changes to building regulations.
“All of this was set out in our report eight years ago and all ignored by Government,” he concluded, reports RTE.
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