FF joined by Sinn Féin, AAA/PBP in call to abolish water charges

The parties have told the Expert Commission on Water Charges that no household should have to pay for water and that general taxation should be used to provide the €700m a year needed to upgrade the network and annual operating costs of some €1bn.

The submissions were sent to the expert group which must report to a special Dáil committee next November.

The final decision on whether charges will return or be abolished will be put to a Dáil vote next year. The Government suspended domestic water charges for nine months from July as a condition of Fianna Fáil support for a minority government.

Fianna Fáil had previously argued that charges should be suspended until the network was brought up to standard.

But the party, which previously accepted the principal of charging as part of the troika bailout, now wants them to be permanently abolished.

Its submission, 'A fairer way to a sustainable water infrastructure in the 21st century', says all overdue bills are a "legal charge and should be paid".

Read more: Water bill payers should be refunded through tax credit - Fianna Fáil

But significantly, it indicates it is in favour of refunding those who have already paid their bills by way of a tax credit. This has been a contentious issue for many months.

"The expert water commission should provide examples of mechanisms to refund bill payers, such as through a tax credit, or give a clear outline of the feasibility of pursuing non-payment based on international best practice examples," the document says. Signed by the party's environment spokesman Barry Cowen, the submission says charges should be ended and the revenue loss of some €270m a year compensated by government funding.

"Irish Water should remain solely in public ownership," the party added.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said Fianna Fáil's position on water charges represented a U-turn.

His party also wants charges to be abolished, the metering project to be ended and a referendum to be held to enshrine the water network in public ownership.

Sinn Féin also accused the expert commission of working to a "pre-determined outcome",

The resignation of its original chairman, Joe O'Toole, over comments he made about supporting water charges and the "short timeframe" for submissions to be made meant the party was "concerned" about its independence and credibility.

Fine Gael has supported the retention of charges and raised concerns that if charges were abolished it could result in fines from the EU.

"Fine Gael believes that after the establishment of Irish Water and the introduction of domestic water charges a decision to permanently abolish water charges would leave Ireland financially exposed to EU compliance proceedings," it said.

The Labour Party said charges should be retained, with free allowances and exemptions for low-income households, families with young children or people with a disability.

The AAA/PbP said the State should fund services, with local authorities operating the network.