Referendum on Irish Water ownership not ruled out

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has said he would not rule out a referendum to ensure Irish Water stays in public ownership.

However, he added that there may be another mechanism to address this through the Oireachtas.

Speaking after a meeting with Irish Water Managing Director John Tierney, Mr Kelly said there will be changes to the charges and they would be announced shortly.

The minister would not be drawn on whether the charges would be less for everyone, but added they would be modest.

Mr Kelly also said he does not tolerate bonuses, does not believe in them and does not think they are appropriate. He said it will be the first item for the new board.

Mr Tierney apologised to customers for the mistakes that have been made.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said the Government will make a decision on water charges very shortly.

The Government would be very clear and accurate about it so that people will have confidence in knowing what contribution they have to make, what it is for and what they get in return for that, he said.

Speaking at the offices of Facebook in Dublin, Mr Kenny said it is important from a Government perspective that high quality, high integrity, good clear water is available for people and businesses alike.

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated across the country against water charges on Saturday.

The Right2Water campaign said 150,000 people had turned out to protest.

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney earlier said there is no question of Irish Water being abolished.

He said that too much had been invested in the setting up of the utility, but insisted that the Government would learn from the mistakes made in its establishment.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Coveney said: "There's one certainty, and that's that Irish Water won't be scrapped."

Fine Gael Meath West TD Ray Butler said water charges must be capped at between €100-€150 per household for the next three years, and could be reviewed annually after that period.

"This is what many backbenchers want and I'm confident it might happen," he said.

SIPTU president Jack O'Connor and former Labour minister of state Joe Costello have both called for a referendum that would guarantee Irish Water remaining in public ownership.

Labour Minister of State Ann Phelan has said the utility should not issue bills until there was certainty about the price.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has described as "utterly bogus" a claim by Enda Kenny that the top rate of income tax would have to rise by 4% if water charges were not introduced.

He also said his party supports the call for a referendum to ensure that Irish Water remains a public utility and said people do not accept the Government's reassurance on that point.

Labour backbencher Dominic Hannigan has renewed his call for a referendum to copper-fasten the situation, and said he would be proposing as much to his parliamentary party.

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe has said he is "absolutely certain" that Irish Water will be a publicly owned utility now and in the future.

He said he believes it is vital that Irish Water is in public ownership and said the only place that it can be dealt with is through the Oireachtas.

Mr Donohoe said: "Our Constitution is the place we deal with matters in relation to how we are governed and how constitutional issues are arranged".

He added that Fine Gael is committed to ensuring that Irish Water is a success and that certainty and clarity is brought to the matter in the coming weeks. 

Protests sent 'significant message' to Govt

Right2Water campaigner and former member of Unite trade union Brendan Ogle criticised the Taoiseach's warning that income tax would rise if the Government was to abolish water charges.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Ogle said the turnout at the anti-charge protests on Saturday sent a significant message to the Government over the level of disquiet at local level.

He insisted his campaign against water charges was not in any way political and described the water charges as a form of double taxation.

"We believe water should be paid through progressive general taxation and that is how it should be done.

"This is a double tax on something we already pay for."

Last night, Drogheda mayor Kevin Callan resigned from Fine Gael in light of what he called the overwhelming levels of public dissatisfaction with the handling of the introduction of water charges by the Government and Irish Water.

Meanwhile, the Economic Management Council is beginning its second week of examining the issues surrounding Irish Water.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said the council, an inner Cabinet comprising the Taoiseach and three ministers, would be addressing the issues of certainty about what charges people would face in the future.

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