Paschal Donohoe: Do not dig up water meters

The public expenditure minister has warned home owners not to dig up or remove their water meters, saying they will be used again under a new charging regime, having been provided through taxpayers’ monies.

Paschal Donohoe also cautioned against the “lure” by politicians for everything to be paid for by general taxation in the wake of the scrapping of the current water charging regime.

He signalled the recent squabbling and outcome on water charges and meters was “not a recipe” to be repeated, for handling more important national matters such as public pay.