Deal on water services finally agreed

Homeowners will face no specific charge for excessive use of water or see existing properties metered as part of a deal finally agreed to end the deadlock over funding of water services.

However, owners who refuse to stop wasting water after multiple warnings could face fines.

Fine Gael made a number of concessions during negotiations at the Oireachtas committee on water this week, agreeing there would be no future metering of existing homes or a specific excess charge.