Lesson of school water charges

THE school water bills controversy once again highlighted the total abdication of responsibility by the Government for the maintenance of essential public services.

In particular the suggestion by minister of state Conor Lenihan that somehow it was the responsibility of local councils to meet those costs was hypocritical beyond belief. It ignored the fact that this Government has consistently under-funded local government in the first place.

In figures supplied to me by the Dublin city manager, it is clear that for 2006 alone the shortfall is approximately €200m.