Date for water charges may be decided next week

The exact timing of the imposition of water charges could be decided after meetings next week, Environment Minister Phil Hogan said yesterday.

Speaking in University College Cork yesterday, Mr Hogan, a UCC graduate, said the decision as to when the charges would be implemented would be set by Finance Minister Michael Noonan and Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin.

It follows earlier confusion when Mr Hogan appeared to suggest the water metering system would be launched next January, only for Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore to quash talk of that start date.