Fianna Fáil bill to scrap Irish Water within 18 months

Fianna Fáil negotiators last night told Independents they will draft a new bill to scrap Irish Water and delay water charges for five years within 18 months if they are part of the next government.

The comment was made at the end of another day of lengthy talks on nine issues including health, flooding, rural affairs and education — and as senior party figures raised the negotiation stakes on Fine Gael by insisting they will not take part in Enda Kenny’s mooted “partnership” coalition.

It is understood that after 8.30pm last night — a full 10 hours into discussions — Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin and his negotiating team of Barry Cowen, Jim O’Callaghan, Charlie McConalogue and Michael McGrath finally raised Irish Water’s future under a Fianna Fáil-led government.

The issue was brought up to give a broad overview of the party’s charges policy to the five rural TDs group and the Healy-Rae brothers, with both Katherine Zappone and Maureen O’Sullivan having earlier left proceedings due to prior arrangements and separate meetings with Fine Gael.

However, during this discussion Fianna Fáil negotiators also confirmed the party is drawing up specific legislation to scrap Irish Water, replace it with a new water management utility and to postpone water charges for five years within 12 to 18 months of entering government.

Katherine Zappone

The position was given a cautious welcome by the Independent TDs in the meeting last night.

However, while the official purpose of yesterday’s meetings — which will be continued today with similar discussions involving the Independent Alliance — was to encourage Independents’ support, the Irish Water position is being seen as an attempt to place fresh pressure on Fine Gael before both parties begin talks with each other after tomorrow’s latest Dáil taoiseach nomination vote.

Although one Fine Gael figure last night suggested the Fianna Fáil position was just stage acting and that the legislation would not pass through the Dáil as those on the far-left ware not in favour of any charges regime, those close to the Fianna Fáil negotiating process were last night insistent the party will not budge on its water policy.

Senior party figures have separately stressed they will not enter any mooted “partnership” government as set out by taoiseach Enda Kenny as it is “just coalition by a different name, when you’re in cabinet that’s it”.

While it is understood there is a difference in view among several TDs over whether this is the position in practice, one member of Fianna Fáil’s negotiating team last night said the party is only focussed on forming a minority government and that if there is no change in tomorrow’s vote it may return to more talks with Independents.

He said while the party has not been “trying to put the squeeze on” Independents or “bullying” them like Fine Gael, “we are very much pushing them to back that”.