Fianna Fáil defends its water charges deal with Fine Gael

Fianna Fáil has staunchly defended its deal with Fine Gael to suspend instead of abolish water charges, claiming an opposition motion to scrap the fees immediately is little more than “political point scoring”.

Barry Cowen, Fianna Fáil’s housing and local government spokesman, lashed out at the bid to remove the charges as soon as possible, as 39 left-leaning TDs insisted a mere suspension is not what February’s election result demanded.

In one of the first Dáil private members’ motion debates since the Government was formed, Sinn Féin last night tabled a motion calling for charges to be “immediately abolished” and for a referendum on the public ownership of water to be confirmed.