Water charges suspended for 9 months

The Government survived its first key vote of the 32nd Dáil last night to suspend water charges for nine months, despite criticism from the Opposition.

The vote was won by 59 votes to 38, on foot of Fianna Fáil’s abstention.

Independent TD Micheal Fitzmaurice voted with the Government on one of the amendments, despite not signing up to the deal with the other Independent Alliance TDs three weeks ago.