Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has side-stepped concern that scrapping the water tax standing charge will lead to higher usage bills.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has repeated his objection to a flat-rate water charge for the majority of households that will not have water meters installed by the time billing begins later this year.

Defiant campaigners have vowed to maintain their water meter blockade in a Cork housing estate despite angry clashes yesterday which led to two people being hospitalised.