Fianna Fáil U-turn on water sees party back Fine Gael

Fianna Fáil TDs have said they received a “backlash” over their initial position on water charges as the party yesterday did another U-turn and backed government plans to levy homes and continue metering.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney will later this week begin drafting legislation, which could see thousands of people receive new levies and up to half a million new homes metered.

The Oireachtas Committee on Water completed its work and recommendations last night, after months of debate and squabbling over how to fund future services and comply with EU law.

While Fianna Fáil last week had opposed metering new builds or an excess charge, the party altered its position yesterday after new legal advice from Oireachtas barrister David Nolan.

Sources privately said a number of rural Fianna Fáil party TDs had received complaints from constituents over this position and the fact that water wasters would not pay. These TDs included Sean Fleming, Eamon Scanlon, Eamon Ó Cuív and Kevin O’Keeffe among others.

One senior frontbench member privately said the party had been “getting it in the neck”. “There were no votes for Fianna Fáil in doing it. It was a big mistake.”

By yesterday morning, the main opposition party, whose support Fine Gael requires to stay in power, had done a U-turn and was supporting all of the Government’s demands on water.

With new metering, Housing Minister Simon Coveney says that up to half a million homes could get devices in the next 20 years. A new excessive charge will also provide a revenue stream for Irish Water, which the EU says is required.

The outcome will be seen as a victory for the minister and for Fine Gael. However, major questions hang over why Fianna Fáil changed its position twice in the last two weeks.

Housing spokesman Barry Cowen said, under the proposed new regime, that 92% of households would not face any levies.

He said that under the new system, that average usage would be based on a household with two residents. Homes with more than two people would be assessed on a per-person usage, said Mr Cowen.

“If anything, we were ensuring that pensioners or one-person households would not be caught [in a new system].”

He blamed Fine Gael for the confusion and changed positions over the last 10 days and specifically, Leo Varadkar, the social protection minister, who had allegedly voiced concern last week. Committee chairman Pádraig Ó Céidigh said he was happy with the outcome. He said the role of the legal advisor yesterday had been “quite significant”.

However, he said that the committee did not create legislation, a process that would now fall to the housing minister.

Mr Coveney has said he will look at the report but also be guided by the advice of attorney general Maire Whelan. He has said Ireland must have an excess charge to comply with EU law. Sinn Féin said under the amended terms for the report, refurbishments would be metered as well as new builds.

The Dáil will debate the report’s recommendations today before they are voted on tomorrow.