The government are being forced to readdress the water charges issue this week as protests and controversy surrounding the incoming charges continues to mount.
The news comes after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of towns and cities across Ireland on Saturday to protest the charges. Protestors have said that they will not stop fighting the charges until they disappear altogether, in a hope to provoke a massive u-turn on the whole issue.
Speaking this morning, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has stated that there will be further clarity on the matter by next week.
“The Government will make its decision next week. This is an issue that affects every household in the country. All of these things are part of the movement of Ireland and its people towards a country that has restored its prosperity.
“Hopefully this will restore clarity and confidence. So the people fully understand why this is being done.”
Meanwhile, Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture stated today on This Morning that Irish Water will not be abolished:“There’s one certainty, and that’s that Irish Water won’t be scrapped.”
It has been reported that Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has stated that families may only be charged modestly.
“The charges that we will put in place I believe will be modest. I think people will be happy with them,” said Alan Kelly, before adding that “mistakes” had been made in the way the whole thing had been set up. “Affordability is the key issue, and I think, we also need certainty in terms of what that will be for a number of years.”
Elsewhere, John Tierney of Irish Water stated: “I want to apologize to our customers for mistakes that have been made. We’re working with the Government to address all issues that have arisen.”
Other reports have stated that the Government could be looking at the possibility of a flat rate charge for three years.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has added that his party supports the call for a referendum on the issue.
