Row over water charges for homes without meters

Water charge price bands were branded “crude” by Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore as Coalition bickering over how the tax will operate sparked fresh confusion.

Mr Gilmore delivered what was seen as a public rebuke to Phil Hogan, the environment minister, as concern centred on how much the 75% of households without meters will be forced to pay from October.

Insisting he would have expected these issues to have been addressed “some months ago”, the Labour leader said imposing a “crude” charge on homes without meters when the first bills go out next January was not acceptable.