Fine Gael TDs split on water charge refunds
A number were on the fence on the issue.
Cork South West TD Jim Daly said attachment orders should be used to pursue non-payers. “The law of the land applies,” he said.
Dun Laoghaire TD Sean Barrett said he was in favour of water charges and people should not fool themselves about getting a good supply without them.
“I’m not giving up on the idea of paying for water, so you wouldn’t give a refund in those conditions.”
Constituency colleague Maria Bailey said non-payers should be pursued. “I don’t think refunds are the way to go.”
Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon agreed. He said: “At the moment, a charge remains on people’s property. I don’t think it is economically wise [refunds]. It would cost serious money.”
Kildare North TD Andrew Doyle said he couldn’t see the logic in refunds and it would be “costly”.
Wexford TD Paul Kehoe also said: “Chase the people who haven’t paid their bills.”
But many TDs favour giving people refunds.
Wexford’s Michael D’Arcy said “anybody who obeyed the law should not be out of pocket and get money back”.
Kildare North TD Bernard Durkan said: “Absolutely, people who pay their taxes will expect a refund.”
Kerry TD Brendan Griffin said: “People should get their money, there is no question about that.”
Clare’s Joe Carey said he was open to a system of refunds, possibly a tax rebate while Louth’s Peter Fitzpatrick favours refunds as a last resort: “People who paid should be looked after.”
But others refused to say — Clare’s Pat Breen said water was “not a big issue” on the doortsteps as people had paid for years. He refused to be drawn on refunds, saying the committee would decide.
Equally, junior health minister Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy would not say if she favoured refunds, saying she didn’t want to see people disadvantaged. Meath East TD Helen McEntee also wants to wait for the committee before deciding.
European Affairs Minister and Cork North Central TD Dara Murphy also said while he is undecided on the issue, if no reasonable way could be found to force non-payers to pay the charges, he would be open to refunds.
Cork East TD David Stanton, Dublin Bay South TD Kate O’Connell, Kildare South TD Martin Heydon and Limerick County TD Tom Neville all said they want to wait until the committee does its review.
However, one TD anonymously said, refunds would set a “dangerous precedent” for other charges such as the TV licence and property tax, saying the reality is people paid for a service “and you cannot ask them to return the water they used”.
Health Minister Simon Harris, Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Sports Minister Patrick O’Donovan, junior finance minister Eoghan Murphy, Dublin North West TD Noel Rock, Waterford TD John Deasy and Mayo TD Michael Ring all failed to respond or declined to comment.
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