‘No plan to bring back domestic water charges’

THE Government denied last night that it was planning to bring back domestic water charges and privatise water schemes in new legislation debated in the Dáil.

But the opposition claimed that the new Water Services Bill 2003 will pave the way for the privatisation of water services and allow Environment Minister Dick Roche to impose domestic water charges again without returning to the Dáil for sanction.

Fine Gael environment spokesman Bernard Allen said: “The water service authorities that will operate within local authorities will be the Trojan Horse for privatisation and pave the way for domestic water charges to be brought back.”