Taoiseach says average annual water charge to be €240

The Taoiseach told the Dáil today the average annual water charge would be about €240.

Speaking after this morning’s Cabinet meeting, he said the Government had not signed off on any figures.

Mr Kenny said the Cabinet this morning noted the official advice from Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan that the taxpayers' subvention for Irish Water, consistent with it being classified as a commercial State company, could not exceed €537 million next year and in 2016.

“That equates to an annual average metered charge of €240,’’ he added.

Mr Kenny said the Government, "comprised of the two parties, Fine Gael and Labour, are united in the objective of making the Government's priority…that water charges would be fair, affordable and as equitable as possible''. That discussion had been started at the morning's Cabinet meeting, he added.

Mr Kenny said there had been intensive engagement between the Department of the Environment and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in recent weeks on the issue.

The Taoiseach said the Government would continue to discuss over the next two weeks the issues outlined by Mr Hogan, adding that it wanted to get it ‘as right as was possible’.

Mr Kenny said the average installation of meters was running at 27,000 monthly and 400,000 households would be metered by the end of the year.

The Taoiseach was replying at Opposition leaders' questions to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, and Independent TD Stephen Donnelly on behalf of the technical group.

Rounding on Mr Martin, the Taoiseach accused him of leading "opportunistic hypocrites''. He said the Fianna Fáil programme for government had proposed an average annual charge of €400 for water.

Mr Martin said the Taoiseach and the Government had been anything but clear on the issue this morning.

“The public are being treated with absolute contempt in relation to this,’’ he added. People were concerned about what bill they would receive, said Mr Martin.