Phil Hogan: Water pricing should have been sorted out
Asked if he agreed with Labour leader Eamon Gilmore’s assertion that it would have been better to have the issue dealt with months ago, Mr Hogan said: “It’s been going on three months. I agree with him totally.”
Pressed on whether this meant the minister himself had “messed-up”, Mr Hogan said: “I am agreeing with him (Gilmore) totally it should have been sorted out three months ago.”
Though not accepting the blame himself, it was unclear who Mr Hogan thought was responsible for the hold-up.
However, referring to the fact he could not guarantee details of pricing arrangements would be made public at the end of this week as he had previously hoped, Mr Hogan said: “It is a matter for the regulator and Irish Water to decide the matter ultimately, all the Government can do is make a submission in relation to free allowances, affordability measures, and whatever particular subsidies we are going to give to Irish Water.”
The “inner cabinet” of the economic management committee, comprising the taoiseach, tánaiste, finance minister and public expenditure minister, were to discuss the issue today after weeks of confusion and delay.
The coalition row continued to dominate the European and local election campaign, with just over three weeks to go until polling day on May 23.
Launching his party’s manifesto for the European vote, Enda Kenny again said he “expected” unresolved water pricing issues to be decided upon and made public before voters went to polling stations.
The Taoiseach said modernisation of the water system to stop wastage was a key aim of metering.
“We can’t continue with a situation where the taxpayer is forking out €1.2bn a year and 40% of that leaks away into the ground. Not good enough for the future, not good for people with inferior supplies.
“We must deal with this in a fair and affordable and equitable way as possible,” Mr Kenny said.
Mr Hogan also confirmed that people without meters who are over-charged will be entitled to rebates.
He denied Labour and Fine Gael had clashed over the issue, stating: “Differences of view on what constitutes a fair and balanced package’” had taken place.
Labour objected to what it saw as attempts to “bounce” it into accepting a €50 standing charge for water supplies and less leverage in helping vulnerable groups in society pay for water.
The Society of St Vincent de Paul has demanded the Government publishes the ESRI research on water affordability commissioned by the Department of the Environment as it stepped up pressure for more help to be given to vulnerable sectors of society.
“The research which examined the costs and benefits of alternative ways of addressing the problem of water affordability has been with your department for some time and it is now time to publish this research,” SVP’s Geoff Meagher said in a letter to Mr Hogan.
