State may avoid EU battle by deferring water bills

Ireland could escape potential European Commission court action over cancelling water charges if it defers the controversial fees for a number of years instead of scrapping them entirely.

The Irish Examiner understands the situation is likely to be tolerated by Brussels as a way to avoid a multi-million euro court battle and allow breathing space for Ireland to form a government. Under the European Commission’s water framework directive, every EU member state had until 2010 to introduce water charges.

However, a loophole contained in article 9.4 of the document allowed countries to avoid the fees with alternative ways to conserve water and pay for services where there was no “established practice” of the payments.