‘Lots of scope’ to abolish water charges, says SF TD

SINN Féin’s Eoin Ó Bróin has insisted there is ‘lots of scope’ to abolish water charges without facing penalties from the EU.

European Union sources previously told the Mail parties who pledge to remove domestic water fees will face ‘a complex legal battle and eventually hit a brick wall by ending up in breach of EU directives.’

But speaking outside Leinster House yesterday, new elected TD Mr Ó Bróin said: ‘I’d suggest the experts go back and read the directive – there is lots of scope in article 9 of the framework of the directive to allow for the abolition of charges and for different ways of meeting the requirements ... so I think the experts have it wrong.’

‘It is a little bit like the figures from Irish Water – these are people who want Irish Water and water charges to continue and I think they are deliberately misrepresenting the text of the framework directive.’

An EU source told the Mail that while any government could abolish the entity of Irish Water, they would need to show the EU it had another plan by which water consumption and conservation would be linked to a financial ‘penalty’ or charge.

A spokesman for Sinn Féin, which has pledged the abolition of water charges, added: ‘The agreement your sources refer to is the Memorandum of Understanding which was agreed by the last Fianna Fáil-led government. It is no longer valid. There is no legal impediment to the abolition of water charges.’