The British Regional Development Minister, Ms Angela Smith has failed to make the case for the introduction of water charges, Sinn Fein claimed today.
Sinn Fein's Mr Francie Molloy said the Northern Ireland public was furious about plans to impose the charges.
Consumers have been warned they can expect to pay up to £400 a year for their water from April 2006.
The minister served notice of the charges earlier this year as she launched a public consultation process on the future of the water sector, which needs investment totalling £3 billion to meet European standards.
Charges will be introduced to enable the water sector to become self-financing and bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK where consumers already pay for water.
The consultation document contains options on how charges should be introduced, how the reformed service should be structured, and how consumers' interests could be protected.
But Mr Molloy said the minister had failed to convince people that the attempt to impose water charges was either "justified, or will lead to improvements in water services".
"The terms of the debate set out in the current consultation are totally unsatisfactory," he said.
"The debate should be about what are the benefits of water charges and what are the real costs, but instead Angela Smith is acting as if imposing a water tax is a foregone conclusion and the debate is being framed about what mechanism she will use."
Mr Molloy said a £400 million underspend by government in Northern Ireland last year showed it was possible to find money from sources other than water charges.
PA