Gilmore: No decision yet on water meter charges
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said that no decisions have been made on how much people will have to pay for water meters.
Households are reported to be facing an annual fee in the region of €40 for the meters following their planned installation in 2014, on top of a water usage fee.
The Cabinet is meeting this morning to discuss the issue and to set up the new Irish Water company.
However, the Government has yet to decide what Department will oversee water services.
Speaking this morning the Tánaiste said the proposals have yet to be signed off on.
"Any new charge that is introduced is something that people will always find difficult," he said.
"But details of that charging arrangment - how it is going to operate; the among that's going to be involved; the arrangements that will be in place to ensure that it is fair - all of that has yet to be worked out."
Chair of the Oireachtas Environment Committee, Labour's Ciaran Lynch, also played down reports about the standing charge.
"The Cabinet will be meeting this morning to discuss a number of matters, principally how the Irish Water company will be created and what sort of corporate structure will be put to it," Deputy Lynch said.
"The next stage is that a tendering process will have to be put out for the meters.
"So at this moment in time there isn't a value placed on what the meter cost will actually be."
