Sinn Féin has hit out over plans to take unpaid water charges from wages and social welfare payments.

Spokesperson on the Environment Brian Stanley TD said this represents another desperate attempt by the Government to bully people into paying their water charges.

Deputy Stanley said: "As with the railroading through of measures to penalise tenants and home owners, this Bill has only been published this afternoon even though it is to come before the Dáil next week.

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"We do know that it will contain a proposal to dip into people’s wages and social welfare payments. That contrasts starkly with how this Government has dealt with elites who have taken advantage of tax avoidance schemes. It is a vicious attack on people with low incomes.

"As with the Government proposals to attach unpaid water charges to people's homes, Sinn Féin will be strongly opposing this latest proposal next week in the Dáil."

(CD/MH)