Simon Coveney to defy advice on water charges

Simon Coveney is set to defy the water committee’s recommendations to scrap charges and instead attempt to railroad through his own legislation, which he claims will comply with EU laws.

The Housing Minister said last night that he was “disappointed” with Fianna Fáil changing position on an Oireachtas committee on water assessing the funding of services.

Tense meetings of the committee yesterday resulted in recommendations that no new homes are metered and the removal of “excessive” water use from sections of its report.