Kicking the can one more time: Water charges — what penalties?

THE Government will, it seems, do anything it can to avoid speaking about, much less finally defining, the penalties that might be imposed on those who choose not to pay water charges before the election.

On the face of it this may seem a prudent kick-the-can-down-the-road dodge but that policy runs the profound risk of alienating the 1.3m or so homeowners who have registered and seem willing to pay their water charges.

Suggesting that non-payment will not bean issue until four bills have been ignored hardly seems reasonable or fair to those who comply.