The government has been accused of kicking the can down the road over a proposed referendum on the public ownership of water.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has insisted that the government will still to hold a referendum on whether water should be protected in public ownership but the vote must “not be rushed”.

Even though the position of the water charges debacle at the very apex of public administration and political failure seemed unassailable, it may yet have to cede that dubious distinction to the national children’s hospital.

A new water charging system which will affect tens of thousands of households has been described as the "thin edge of a wedge" to roll out metered charging in future years.

Households which ‘excessively use’ or waste water will be given a year to reduce their consumption before they face being fined, under plans to be approved by Cabinet tomorrow.

Most of the public and group water supply schemes, and a reasonable proportion of abstractions in many other sectors, have made submissions for the register of water abstractions being

The Government has done a U-turn on the idea of holding a referendum to keep water services in public ownership.

Irish Water has revealed it has received 125 complaints in relation to connection charges applied to new builds over the past year — but all were rejected.

Around 80,000 households are to be charged with 'excessive usage' water charges when the new scheme comes in.

The cost of connecting new properties to the main water supply could fall significantly in the vast majority of cases if the utilities regulator rubberstamps proposals from Irish Water to overhaul the current charging structure.

Water charges were unsuccessful due to the way in which they were implemented rather than the idea, according to a new report.

Earlier this month, Irish Water conceded that 761m litres of drinking-quality water are lost each day, because our supply infrastructure has been neglected for decades, by many governments.

Paying directly for water changes behaviour and by setting an example in one area, it points to better policy in others, writes Gerard Howlin

Update 3.17pm: The Housing Minister has moved to reassure the public that households that waste water inadvertently will be given time to identify their leaks.

Irish Water has confirmed that plans are in place to introduce excess water charges from next year.

New measures to improve rural water services will ensure that members of group water schemes get comparable benefits to what Irish Water does for the public supply, said Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, writes Stephen Cadogan.

People Before Profit is warning there will be more water protests if the Government tries to change the free allowance rules.

The Refund Project has reached almost €300,000 in donations after 1,600 households pledged some or all of the returned water charges.

An Post says it is absolutely confident it can cope with Christmas, water charge refunds, and polling cards.

The Dáil has passed legislation to end water charges and to provide for refunds, but many households will not be repaid before Christmas, as promised.

The Government has asked President Michael D Higgins to quickly sign off on new water charges legislation so that refunds can be issued to households before Christmas.

The leader of Sinn Féin has dismissed suggestions his party was to blame for the delay in water charge refunds.

It is now expected to go through before the end of the month, which will enable Irish Water to start issuing cheques but it's unlikely they'll all be sent before the Christmas deadline.

Irish Water has launched a website dealing specifically with refunds of charges.

With water charges a thing of the past, Caroline O’Doherty asks how we will finance Irish Water and essential infrastructural works.

Irish Water has identified projects that require capital expenditure of €5.5bn up to the end of 2021 and some €13bn over the next 20 years. Here’s just a sample of some of the bigger plans and budgets involved.

Just about everyone in the water charges debate agrees that water services need fast, generous and sustained investment but the consensus crumbles quickly on the question of how to fund them.

Irish Water is not the only water utility operating in a setting made complex by conflicting political and financial needs.

After almost a year of argument, inside the Dail and out, over the merits of a referendum on the public ownership of water, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar shut down the debate in the way only he can.

The Government must advance a referendum to ensure water infrastructure remains in public ownership, according to Labour spokesperson on Water Jan O’Sullivan.

The Government has been severely criticised after it left the door open for a return of water charges in legislation it published yesterday.

The Government has rejected that it has agreed to hold a referendum to keep Irish Water in public ownership.

The Government has rejected that it has agreed to hold a referendum to keep Irish Water in public ownership.

Legislation to refund over €170m in water bills is expected be approved by Cabinet this week before a later Dáil vote which will see monies returned to homeowners in the coming months.

Water charge refunds should be delayed until next year to make sure the health service is funded through the winter, the Labour leader Brendan Howlin said today.

Latest: The Green Party leader believes some people will not want their refund from Irish Water.

A €270m payment to Irish Water had no connection to the fact water charges were scrapped, the Government has claimed.

Hundreds of farmers and owners of commercial businesses in an area of north Cork are to receive a reduction of up to 40% in their water bills as their supply in early summer was deemed unfit for consumption.

Latest:  Irish Water has apologised after a second major water pipe burst in just over a week, cutting off supply to up 10,000 households and businesses.

Leo Varadkar says Fine Gael has thrown in the towel on water charges and will not campaign for their reintroduction.

Irish Water says it "sincerely regrets" the inconvenience caused to thousands of people in the North East because of a burst pipe.

Irish Water has said that it will cost up to €3m to completely replace a burst water main in the North East.

Latest: Fully replacing a mains pipe that burst triggering the water supply crisis in Louth and Meath could cost three million euro and take 18 months, Irish Water has said.

Fianna Fáil has been accused of wanting to punish people who paid water charges as the opposition party faced criticism for calling for a delay in refunding the 1m homes which paid.