Taoiseach says water bill refunds will be voted on by the Dáil next March

Another member of Cabinet has declared that Irish Water customers should have their money refunded.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone is the third Cabinet member to make the call, along with several junior ministers.

Fine Gael remains divided on the contentious issue of refunds, after an expert commission report on water last week effectively paved the way for most households to get water for free in the future.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has refused to take a position on refunds, saying the matter will ultimately be voted on by the Dáil next March after an Oireachtas committee this week begins its own work on water.

Asked yesterday about the idea of people being refunded, Ms Zappone said she was in favour of such action. She also said she had opposed the issue of water charges during the general election in February.

Transport Minister Shane Ross and Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath have both backed the idea of refunding customers.

Drugs Minister Catherine Byrne also favours this move, while European Affairs Minister Dara Murphy said last week he was open to such action. OPW minister John Halligan wants refunds for households.

Junior jobs minister John Halligan also favours refunds while his department colleague, Pat Breen, says he remains undecided.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan last week told the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting that the issue of water charges was like a “dead cat” and the must not be allowed become an election matter.

A number of Fine Gael TDs and senators say refunds must be made, either by cash or through some kind of tax rebate.

This could include allowing people pay a lower property tax by deducting what they already paid for water.

The expert report did not make any specific recommendations on refunds.

But it said: “The necessary measures should be put in place to give effect to the commitment that those who have paid their water bills to date will be treated no less favourably than those who have not.”

The expert commission’s report on the future of water charges and the funding of services is expected to be discussed between Housing Minister Simon Coveney and EU commissioner for environment Karmenu Villa in the coming days.

The EU maintains Ireland must keep some charging regime in place and adhere to the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

It is unclear as yet though whether the expert commission proposals will be acceptable to Brussels.

It has recommended that a special wastage charge could be applied to households who use excess amounts of water.

Others fear this might lead to the reintroduction of charges by the back door.

Meanwhile, a former member of the last Fine Gael-Labour government yesterday said the decision to proceed with water charges despite widespread protests had been a “big monumental political miscalculation”.

Speaking to RTÉ, former communications minister Alex White said his party, Labour, had been “hammered” in the 2014 local elections and this year’s general election.