OPPOSITION PARTY Sinn Fein have said that they plan to scrap domestic water charges. Draft legislation submitted by the party aims to repeal parts of the Water Services Act 2017, which was controversially enacted under a Fine Gael government at that time.
It is understood that civil service officials have briefed Minister for Housing, James Browne, on details of a provocative new regulation to introduce charges for excessive water use. Despite this, the minister was clear that the move is not imminent.
Minister Browne’s pronouncement comes in the wake of Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s comments yesterday about water charges not being reintroduced. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald added that the reason her party were submitting draft legislation was because it was the only way of ensuring certainty over the issue.
“[The Government] are clearly looking at introducing domestic water charges through the back door, under the guise of a charge for so-called excessive use.
“This is nothing more than a Trojan Horse for the introduction of domestic water charges for all households. It’s the thin end of the wedge,” she said.
The party’s submission of draft legislation aims to copperfasten a repeal to parts of the Water Services Act 2017. Sinn Féin added that by doing this they were effectively ruling out the possibility of water charges being reintroduced by the current or future administrations.
“We are seeking to introduce this legislation as a matter of urgency and to table it during private members’ time at the earliest possible opportunity,” said Ms McDonald.