Govt denies U-turn on school water bills

The Government’s plans to introduce flat water charges for schools is not a U-turn, the Taoiseach insisted in the Dáil today.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed the issue has created confusion for teachers and parents but Bertie Ahern said the proposals were actually contained in the Programme for Government.

The Taoiseach yesterday announced plans for local authorities to phase in flat water charges for schools based on their size.

He said the education section of the Programme for Government contains a commitment to examine the provision of waste and water allowances to school.

He added: “The minister has explained repeatedly that because of the Framework Water Directive, the Government would work out this commitment between the Departments and would implement it.

“This is the first time in my memory of implementing Programmes for Government that implementing a measure is considered to be a U-turn. This is extraordinary.”

But Mr Kenny said: “One of the hallmarks of the Government has been inconsistency and confusion.”

He continued: “The Taoiseach either showed leadership or desperation and I am unsure which. People are very confused about the outcome of his statements and he should clear up this issue for me.”

Last week Opposition parties complained that parents were forced to hold local fundraising events to pay charges which were as high as 8,000 euro for some schools.

The Government responded by saying that the 1999 EU Water Framework Directive had introduced the charges and its hands were tied on the issue.

But the Taoiseach yesterday announced in the Dáil that schools shouldn’t pay their bills until the new flat fee system is implemented between now and 2009.

More details will be issued over the Christmas period before the schools return, he said.

Fine Gael had branded the proposals as “one of the most humiliating climbdowns that any government has every entered into”.

Mr Kenny said today that the Government had shown the worst leadership of any administration over the past 40 years.

“It has lurched from crisis to crisis, including those involving provisional licences, cancer scares, the inability to publish reports and the acceptance of huge pay increases by the Government.

“There have been climbdowns every day.”