Europe backs our water charging system
THE European Commission has backed Ireland’s current water charging policy – a reminder to any future government that whatever new system it might introduce, it will have to introduce an element of charging.
The Commission said the Government had taken significant steps in recent years to set up an efficient water management system – and added that charging based on individual consumption was the wellestablished mechanism for doing this.
This comes after the future of water charges was thrown into confusion when Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said on RTÉ’s Prime Time on Tuesday that the issue was open to discussion in any government formation talks.
Last night, the Commission emphasised its support for charges, which it said formed part of Article 9 of its Water Framework Directive.
Such charges must be based on the principles of ‘cost recovery and the polluter pays’, it said.
‘The water pricing policy should provide adequate incentives for users to use water resources efficiently, thereby contributing to the environmental objectives of the Directive (no deterioration and good status),’ the Commission said.
‘Article 9 is therefore clear about the objectives to be reached. Charging based on individual consumption is a well-established mechanism for meeting the purposes of Article 9.’
While the Commission said it could not comment on hypothetical questions such as how it would react to any changes to Irish Water, it gave its backing to the moves taken to introduce charges in Ireland so far.
‘Ireland has taken significant steps in recent years to establish a water management system in line with both principles of cost recovery and “polluter pays” that should provide Irish citizens with water of a good quality for a range of societal benefits,’ it said.
Yesterday, Health Minister Leo Varadkar hinted that while small changes could be made to the current water charges system, such as introducing allowances for senior citizens, charges in general will not be abolished.
He said: ‘On water charges, the situation is very clear: there is an EU directive on water.
‘At the heart of that EU directive is the principle that the user pays and the polluter pays. That is something we had an exemption from for a period of time and we gave it up in 2010, 2011. The Fianna Fáil, Green, Independent government gave it up. So the parties that went into the election claiming they could abolish water charges weren’t telling the truth.’
He added: ‘Fianna Fáil accepts water charges in principle. Fianna Fáil has suggested some kind of deferral; I am saying that cannot be done. That is a violation of the EU water directive which we have signed up to.
‘Once you introduce charging, a user pays system, you can’t depart from that.’
Mr Varadkar also told RTÉ’s Seán O’Rourke that the water meters that had been installed should con- tinue to be used. He said: ‘We have put €500million into water meters – they should not be wasted, they should be used.’
Mr Varadkar also said he believed Mr Coveney’s Prime Time comments were misinterpreted, and suggested that instead he was trying to say that small changes could be made.
He said: ‘The kind of thing Simon was talking about is things you could do to alleviate the burden of charges; for an old-age pensioner, senior citizens, on a fixed state pension, €160 is a lot of money but certainly there are things that can be done around allowances or to assist those on pensions – but the basic principle of water charges can not be departed from.’
‘Significant steps taken’ ‘Parties weren’t telling the truth’