Backlash over water charges fiasco to continue despite deal

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have had to row back on their positions on Irish Water and water charges and no one has an answer for those who have been paying their bills, writes Political Correspondent Juno McEnroe

A backlash against the suspension of water charges for the foreseeable future began yesterday as politicians recoiled at the idea of trying to explain if people’s money had gone down the drain or whether there would in fact be repayments for those who footed their bills. Before the ink is even dry on a minority government deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, serious questions remain about undoing the botched water charge system and the future of water services in Ireland.

Already, the discussion has turned to the funding gap that will open up when people stop paying. Furthermore, there are questions about how long this commission on water charges will run for. The North’s commission on water charges sat for several years, eventually seeing them out there.