Sinn Féin Dublin City Councillors are to table an emergency motion at today's monthly meeting of the City Council in opposition to the Water Services Bill which will see water meters and charges imposed on every home.

Councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha said: "The publication on 11 January of the Water Services Bill 2013 was a hugely significant step towards the removal of water services from democratic accountability as a function of local government and, ultimately, from public control through the process of privatisation.

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"We are asking all members of the City Council to deplore the proposed draconian powers designed to impose water meters on all homes and to extract a further payment from already hard-pressed citizens and families.

"We are asking the Council to call on the Government not to proceed with the Water Services Bill 2013 and to retain water services as a function of local government. They should also undertake comprehensive measures to address the need for water conservation and to address the outstanding issue of local government funding on the basis of fair taxation and ability to pay."

(CD/GK)