FF claims announcement raises 'more questions than answers'

REACTION:FIANNA FÁIL has criticised the Government's handling of the water charges announcement and accused it of not learning from the household charge fiasco.

The Government has “again created total confusion over water charges and once again has failed to communicate properly with the public,” said Fianna Fáil environment spokesman Niall Collins.

The Government statement on water charges raised more questions than it answered about water reform, said Mr Collins.

He argued that householders were still in the dark about what it meant for them.

“Whether the charge is up-front or by instalment, it is the same unfair and unacceptable principle of forcing people to pay for the privilege of charging them for their water,” he said.

Mr Collins also raised concerns about the job security of those employed in water services; whether or not they would be transferred to the new water body was a “glaring issue”, he said.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams described the new charges as a step too far and as an “unacceptable additional stealth charge” on households. It is “another burden on working people”, on those who can ill-afford yet more punitive charges, he said.

Mr Adams also raised concern about the future privatisation of water services.

The move had an underlying agenda which was clearly one of privatisation, he said.

The establishment of Irish Water was “laying the foundation for this”, Mr Adams added.

Fine Gael was setting the agenda on water, while Labour was “falling into line”, he said.

Sinn Féin also criticised the Coalition for making the decision before public consultation on water sector reform had been completed.

The party wants investment in water services to focus on the repair of infrastructure to stop water leaking from pipes rather than putting pressure on struggling people, the statement added.

The Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors of Ireland said that it had 350 firms willing to help deliver the project. The association argued that this work should only be carried out by qualified plumbers.

It urged the Government to offer contracts in small lots to allow large and independent contractors to get work.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary told Newstalk radio that Irish Water would be “another bloody Nama” after five years and would be run by “useless bureaucrats”.

The contract for service should instead be put to tender like the National Lottery, he said.

Separately, Bord na Móna expressed disappointment at not being awarded the contract for Irish Water but wished every success to Bord Gáis with “the challenges it faces” .