Reality check - EU rules on water charges

THE European Commission’s declaration that Ireland does not enjoy an exemption from EU obligations to establish a system of water charges seems to mean that all of the divisive protests and posturing, all of the chicanery and assumed principles around forming a Government, will stand for naught.

But that’s not entirely true. Our water-is-free utopia has consequences. It is believed that Ireland could face, in the coming months, daily fines because we are in breach of EU law. Underlining that expensive and wasteful prospect the EC confirmed that the earlier “flexibility” on water charges afforded to Ireland is no longer available.

There is hardly an issue that better shows our enthusiasm for fantasy and our indulgence of poor leadership than in water charges. Anyone with the wit of a water hen knows that we will have to, one way or another, pay for water sooner or later. In the meantime we’ll keep wasting 50% of processed water through leaks and hope that by boiling the water we don’t inflict cryptosporidium on our children.