Flood of confusion around €170m water refund plans

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s plan to refund €170m in water charges has been undermined by confusion among ministers as to how and when it will happen.

Despite Mr Varadkar’s desire that refunds be paid by the end of the year, it emerged last night that not everybody who has paid will be refunded by January 1.

Several ministers, speaking to the Irish Examiner, also sharply contradicted Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty, who said on RTÉ Radio that the matter had not come up at Cabinet.