Joe O’Toole expected to step down from expert commission on water charges

Tue, 05 Jul, 2016 - 16:10

The newly appointed chairman of the expert commission on water charges Joe O’Toole is expected to resign this afternoon.

Fianna Fáil sources expect Mr O’Toole to announce his resignation shortly, writes Juno McEnroe.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney failed to give his confidence in the embattled chairman today at an Oireachtas Committee examining water charges.

Mr Coveney went on to say that Mr O’Toole had spoken to him on the phone today and asked for time to consider the matter before making a statement today.

Mr O’Toole has faced calls to resign from his post, following a candid interview he gave with the Irish Examiner, published this week.

Mr O’Toole slammed

Mr O’Toole had said he found it “extraordinary” that left wing politicians are “opposed” to the ‘polluter pays’ principle and they, including AAA TD Paul Murphy, were “completely and utterly wrong” on the issue.

Simon Coveney confirms Joe OToole to issue statement shortly
— Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) July 5, 2016

Fianna Fáil, AAA and Sinn Féin have all said that he should consider his position or resign.

Sources in Fianna Fáil, who had an input into the setting up of the eight-person commission, have said Mr O’Toole will now be “going” after the recent controversy.