Water charges - Government delaying the inevitable

WITH a general election looming, it would be political suicide for the Coalition to reintroduce water charges or levy new taxes on homes in order to bridge the yawning gulf of local authority funding.

However, Environment Minister Dick Roche is adamant that other ways must be found to boost the coffers of cash-starved towns, cities and counties.

With the Government poised to go to the country next spring, it would be counterproductive to add more stealth taxes to those already bearing down on hard-pressed householders.