The solution to water charges must be legal

T HE standoff between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil over water charges is about more than whether householders should pay bills.

Fundamental principles around payment for public services and compliance with the law are also at play. Add in the fraught tensions between the Civil War parties and a forthcoming leadership election and it all adds up to a heck of a political drama.

Fine Gael believes water charges are necessary to ensure those who waste water pay, and to comply with European Union regulations.

Fianna Fail says there is an easier way of bringing in “penalties for those that wantonly abuse the system” without widespread metering and billing.

The party wants the present charges to be scrapped, water services to be funded from general taxation and homeowners who paid their bills to be refunded.

Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen says Simon Coveney is refusing to legislate. Mr Coveney rightly says he won’t introduce legislation which is contrary to the advice of the Attorney General, as it won’t comply with EU regulations.

Mr Coveney has suggested to Cabinet colleagues that Fianna Fáil can go off and draft legislation as it sees fit.

If Mr Cowen is so confident his proposal for the future of water charges won’t result in Ireland facing massive fines from the European Commission, then let him draft the legislation and Mr Coveney can submit it to the AG for legal assessment.

In the era of ‘New Politics’, it’s not unreasonable for an opposition party to bring forward legislation and have it passed through the Oireachtas.

However, it would be irresponsible for the Dáil to pass a law it knows to be illegal.