Water charges: Non-payers face having pressure reduced
The Government has confirmed plans to limit the water pressure in homes who don't pay their water charges.
The Department of the Environment says the measure will be included in legislation to be published in the autumn.
The measure is intended as an alternative way of punishing homes without having to cut off their supply.
Water charges are due to take effect in October 2014, with the first bills due in January 2015.
Leader of the Green Party Eamon Ryan said the approach would not work.
"The way Phil Hogan has set this up, it's pushing for revenue, it's done in a way that I fear could be privatised in the long run," he said.
"Everything about having one single Irish water company which they’ve set up rather than, I think, a regional structure which would make more sense.
"It would connect to the river basin districts where our water actually comes from, it would connect to the planning systems.
"Everything that's been done by Phil Hogan is driven by a revenue-raising, finance-led approach. I think that's not going to work."
