Simon Coveney faces FG water charges revolt

Housing Minister Simon Coveney is facing a water charges revolt after at least a dozen fellow Fine Gael ministers, TDs and senators insisted people who have paid the controversial fees must be refunded.

The senior Fine Gael minister’s position was directly contradicted during a behind-closed-doors party meeting last night in which Mr Coveney controversially claimed people do not want their money back if the State pursues non-payers and as one junior minister told him she wants a refund now.

Speaking during the Government party’s weekly TDs and senators’ meeting and as the fallout from Tuesday’s water commission report intensifies, Mr Coveney rigidly stuck to his position that refunds are unlikely to happen.