Ireland faces daily penalty of €5k if it scraps water levies

A law expert claimed Ireland could be hit with “daily” EU penalty fines of at least €5,000 if it chooses to scrap water charges, despite EU sources suggesting deferring the fee system could be allowed and Fianna Fáil insisting there is nothing illegal about cancelling the payments.

UCD law professor Gavin Barrett said Brussels could enforce the “recurring penalty” on the country after advice sought by Irish Water concluded there is no way to stop the fees system without breaking European law.

Independent legal advice sought by Irish Water and leaked to a national newspaper on Tuesday said despite ongoing post-election debate over the future of the fees system, if the next government scraps water charges Ireland would be in breach of specific EU rules.