THE Government is to attempt to stem the rural revolt on water charges by providing free domestic water to every household in the State. This is the principle behind the latest package of proposals which the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, will present to tomorrow's Cabinet meeting.
Government sources indicated last night, however, that there were still some issues to be resolved. They are working on the assumption that it could cost between £6 million and £7 million to provide a subvention of £70 a year to every household serviced by a group or private scheme.
However, the newly formed National Federation of Group Water Schemes warned yesterday that any move to resolve the dispute over rural water charges would fail unless those affected were consulted first. Its chairman, Mr Bernard Keeley, described as untrue a statement by the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, on Friday that such consultations had already taken place.
The federation, which represents operators of group water schemes, has postponed a decision on fielding candidates in the forthcoming general election pending such consultations.
Speaking after the federation meeting in Athlone, Co Westmeath, yesterday spokesmen warned that rural group schemes faced "collapse" within months because subscribers were refusing to pay maintenance charges. This could have serious public health implications for rural dwellers, with consequent damage to tourism interests should visitors become ill from drinking contaminated water, they said.
Meanwhile, there were mounting tensions between Labour and Fine Gael backbenchers over the controversial letter - later disowned - from the Fine Gael press office to the Federation of Group Water Schemes last week. Some Labour deputies are smarting at Fine Gael's unilateral move to disown Government policy.
The Progressive Democrats made a commitment yesterday to provide up to £23 million a year, in government, for the maintenance of group schemes. Their spokesman, Mr Bobby Molloy, said it was wholly unacceptable that rural dwellers were subsiding free water for town dwellers through the payment of road tax.
Meanwhile, Mr Howlin will be required to solve an administrative conundrum with his proposal to provide free domestic water to every household. Some of the group water schemes are privately maintained and operated, although they receive water from the public supply others are privately sourced and privately paid for the remainder are privately sourced by individuals, often from private wells on their properties.
The Department of the Environment's original preference was for all group schemes to be taken over by local authorities. However, some schemes favour continued private control. There could also be constitutional problems if local authorities attempted to take ownership of a well on private property.
The three Coalition parties hope to be in a position to end the water charges controversy as quickly as possible, tearing the impact of local water candidates in the general election.