Water charges? Haven’t they gone away?
They’ve disappeared for nine months while the Expert Commission on Domestic Public Water Services makes recommendations about how to fund water infrastructure and services. The commission will report in November this year. Then a special Oireachtas committee, which some have described as “one more discussion away from a decision”, will debate its recommendations. After that the Oireachtas will vote, by the end of March 2017, on whether to say tá or nil to water charges.
So why were water charges in the news this week?
Sinn Féin introduced a private member's motion in the Dáil calling on the Government to abolish water charges and fund water services through "progressive taxation". But the motion was defeated by 96 votes to 47. Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and a number of Independents voted against the move with the Fine Gael-Independent Alliance Coalition.
Why debate it now when the commission has yet to report?
Sinn Féin wanted to embarrass Fianna Fáil over its apparent U-turn on charges, after it emerged that the Soldiers of Destiny, in a submission to the commission during the summer, called for a permanent end to water charges. Fianna Fáil dismissed Sinn Féin’s motion, despite being in favour of ending charges.
So what is Fianna Fáil's position on water charges?
Flexible and confusing. Back in the mists of time, when the troika was in town, Fianna Fáil agreed to charges as part of the bailout. Then, under the confidence-and-supply agreement reached between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to allow the latter to form a Government, Fianna Fáil forced the suspension of water charges. The party had argued for a five-year suspension; then the two sides agreed on the establishment of the commission. So the submission during the summer to the expert commission recommending the abolition of charges took people by surprise. The party insisted that it was consistent with its election-manifesto position, which was to "abolish Irish Water and scrap water charges". Micheál Martin, the Fianna Fáil leader, said the party's key policy was "to fix the system first, before we levy charges – and, obviously, we will consider the situation in 2021".
Where does the Kama Sutra come into it?
Louise O’Reilly of Sinn Féin made an attention-grabbing remark during the debate that Fianna Fáil had taken more positions on water charges than the Kama Sutra, the ancient Indian Hindu text on human sexuality. Fianna Fáil’s environment spokesman, Barry Cowen, said Sinn Féin should be talking about “Houdini and contortionists” in relation to its own position. The Labour TD Jan O’Sullivan expressed her frustration with the debate, which she described as a waste of time, and a repeat of a similar debate in May, with the same predictable position taken by everyone.
So, to ask that question again, haven’t water charges gone away?
It will depend on whether Fianna Fáil shifts its position again. Some suggest that the only way charges could now effectively be implemented would be to hand the job over to the Revenue Commissioners. It would guarantee public payment and prevent privatisation of water services. But it would also mean that borrowing for infrastructural loans could not be done “off balance sheet”.
Any chance of getting back the charges I've already paid?
That depends. When charges were suspended Fine Gael argued that householders who had paid their charges should not be discriminated against compared with those who did not pay. About €160 million has been collected so far, well below the almost €340 million due. If charges are abolished, Fianna Fáil has suggested, refunds could be made through tax credits. But under the agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael water charges could be reintroduced from March 31st, 2017.
