Government look to take heat out of boiling water issue

Thomas Lyons

The future funding of domestic water services is the fly in the political ointment as the Water Committee meet to agree on the wording of a final report. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are at loggerheads about the report's recommendations, which were due to be published after the Celt’s deadline.

Water bills for households are almost certain to be abolished for everyone but there is no agreement between the two biggest parties over how to deal with excessive or wasteful use of the resource.
The Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services will hear legal advice before signing off on the report. A majority-backed report will then go to the Dáil to be voted on within a month.
Minister Heather Humphreys holds the brief of Regional and Rural Affairs and, as such, has a stake in this particular pot. The Minister believes that the issue is quite clear cut: “The most important thing is to find a solution and go forward from that. It is vital that there is parity for the people of rural Ireland. People say to me that they are surprised because they believe that everybody has to pay for water, like those in group water schemes. The issue here is something that needs to be resolved and hopefully we can find that solution as soon a possible because people are just saying to us to get on with it.”
Across the chamber Fianna Fáil deputy Brendan Smith echoed the need for a conclusion on the matter, though with a differing slant: “All issues regarding water and charges or usage must be finalised without further delay. The whole debacle of Irish Water and the scandalous costs and consultancy fees arose due to the arrogance of the Fine Gael/Labour Government in 2013 and Fine Gael in Government today are still not honouring commitments made at the Oireachtas Committee.
“The public are quite rightly and understandably annoyed that this issue is dominating so much of the political agenda when other very serious issues need to be tackled in an aggressive and positive way, such as people in difficulties with mortgages, housing waiting lists, children needing access to assessment and services and hospital waiting lists.
“There is a particular onus on this Government to honour commitments made a year ago and bring finality to the whole area of provision of public water supplies. Rural communities cannot be unjustly penalised in any new regime and the needs of people on group water schemes and with their own water supply must have equal treatment to those on public supplies.”
Sinn Féin Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said that the Water Committee majority must be respected. “Following the completion of their deliberations and their indicating an agreement across their greater number, the members of the Dáil Water Committee, who have held to their February 2016 General Election commitment to abolish water charges, are deserving of the respect not only of the people for their stand but of this Government who have clearly lost the argument,” he said.
“It is imperative that all parties and independent voices who have pledged to abolish water charges stick to their positions. It is equally incumbent on Minister Simon Coveney to respect the Water Committee majority and to introduce the necessary legislation to give effect to the people’s wishes.”
Fianna Fáil's Niamh Smyth was also anxious to see the matter concluded. “It has rolled on a lot longer than I would have like it to. I think everyone has had it to the back teeth on the water issue. I hope that a resolution is found this week. I believe that the report has been gone through line by line.
“I do know that our party had hoped to sign off on this almost two weeks ago, so hopefully before the Easter break we will have a resolution and the report will be signed off by the Oireachtas committee with responsibility for it.”
Following the Committee's recommendation legislation will be drawn up. This stage of the process can take several months and could provide time for a comprise between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
The alternative could be the unpalatable prospect of a general election.