A call has been made for the Government to defer the issuing of water charge bills until there is an EU ruling to accept Irish Water as an independent commercial semi-State company.

Fianna Fáil public expenditure and reform spokesman Sean Fleming said the Government should ensure "people do not receive water bills from an entity whose right to exist is not yet determined".

Charging is due to start in April.

Mr Fleming said the Taoiseach had confirmed in writing that it would be “at least June” before a decision is made at EU level, when it had been expected this month.

But Tánaiste Joan Burton said “the fact that the timelines may be shorter or longer is entirely a matter for those independent bodies, not a matter for the Government”.

Mr Fleming said the Central Statistics Office (CSO) had not yet filed documentation with Eurostat, which would determine whether it complied with the requirements to be classified as an independent, commercially viable semi-State company.

Clarification required

He said, however, that the taxpayer would be subventing the company by some €600 million a year every year, and these issues had to be clarified.

“The timescale to pass the Eurostat test was this month, after which, on the assumption that Irish Water would pass the test of being an independent, stand-alone commercial semi-State body, homeowners were to begin receiving bills in April,” he added.

When Ms Burton asked whether the Fianna Fáil spokesman was questioning the independence of Eurostat, Mr Fleming accused her of “dodging the question” on whether to defer the bills.

He said she “did not go there” because the Labour Party promised before the election there would be no water charges.

Ms Burton responded that “if we’re getting into remembering history”, they should remember that Fianna Fáil in government “assured us the bank guarantee would be the cheapest little guarantee in the world”.