Irish Water bills must be paid, says Micheál Martin

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said people should still pay their latest Irish Water bill and that those who have paid will not be refunded, despite confirming the controversial charges will be suspended in six weeks.

The opposition leader took the unpopular position as Fine Gael’s acting Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said his party should tell constituents to contact Mr Martin to find out why they are paying money despite the service continuing.

Speaking to reporters last night after a four-hour meeting with his TDs and senators to discuss confirmation of the parties’ long-awaited government formation deal, Mr Martin repeatedly said it is his view that people who have yet to pay their first three water bills must address their debt to the State.

Asked if this included the latest water bills, which have been sent out by Irish Water in recent days despite the fact the deal means they will be suspended in six weeks, Mr Martin said it did and urged people to comply with the soon-to-be-scrapped law.

“Yes [the latest bill should still be paid], the bottom line is we’ve been consistent people should uphold the law,” he said.

The Fianna Fáil leader side-stepped questions on if the existing €500 threshold for when repayment of water-bill debts can be sought by the State should be lowered to ensure all debts are honoured, saying his party “hasn’t made any specific commitments on that, yet”.

However, he continued to hold firm to his party’s election manifesto commitment that while Irish Water should end as a utility, existing bills are part of the laws and as such should neither be refunded nor ignored.

“If you want to refund people there’s a [budget] cost involved, so we will have to make choices.

“One could not have a government formed if water wasn’t dealt with. It’s very simple. It would not have lasted two-to-three months,” he said.

Mr Martin rejected criticism from billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien, one of whose companies is linked to the Irish Water service, over the decision to suspend water charges, saying that it was “democracy in action”.

At an earlier four-hour meeting with his TDs and senators, Mr Martin faced further questions from Carlow-Kilkenny TD John McGuinness and others on the need to refund people who have paid.

However, alongside environment spokesperson Barry Cowen, he said it was key to a government being formed and further rejected calls from Fianna Fáil Dublin city councillor Daithi de Roiste for an emergency ard fheis on the deal last night.

Meanwhile, the acting Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney told Fine Gael TDs to tell constituents who are asking about refunds for paying water charges to contact Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.