Hogan expected to announce household charge

The Government's summer holidays begin officially later after Ministers hold their final meeting of this session.

The Cabinet is expected to deliver a blow to householders with a new charge of at least €100 a year to begin next January.

Both the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Environment Minister Phil Hogan had promised clarity on any household charge before the summer recess.

Once Mr Hogan gets the support of the Labour Ministers in Cabinet this morning on the household charge an announcement can follow today or tomorrow.

The service charge is to be a combined water and property tax and will be set in the region of €100 a year, until schemes for charging for water and a property tax are introduced.

The EU/IMF bailout dictates that an interim charge must be put in place for water, beginning next year.

It is expected Minister Hogan will allow for a number of waivers from the charge for low-income households.

Ministers will today also be asked to establish a National Vetting Bureau for those working with children and vulnerable adults.