The introduction of domestic water charges was a major issue in the 2016 general election, and dominated the confidence-and-supply negotiations between both parties. An all-party committee agreed that there would be no domestic water charges. In 2019 the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities approved the proposal submitted to it by Irish Water to charge households found to have excessive use of water. For the 40 per cent of unmetered homes, Irish Water has proposed an investigation process to identify which homes are using excess water. However, the Sinn Féin spokesman on housing Eoin Ó Broin said on Thursday night that he believed domestic water charges would never be introduced.

Source: The Irish Times June 11, 2021 00:00 UTC