The Government is being accused of trying to push through new laws to force people to pay their water charges.

The Environment Minister, Alan Kelly, published new amendments last week which will impose new penalities for people who do not pay the water charge.

Fianna Fáil General Election candidate for Sligo-Leitrim, Councillor Eamon Scanlon, accused Minister Kelly of dealing with the situation in a very "underhand way".

He said: "This Bill was designed to deal with air and chemical pollution and now here we have the Minister introducing a series of amendments which relate to water charge payments. The timing of the publication of the amendments is also deeply cynical as it will give little time for the opposition parties to properly debate the issues.

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"Under these changes voluntary housing associations will become liable for water charges, even if their tenants don't register or pay. This is deeply unfair and has the potential to jeopardise the smooth running of these organisations, and could see them fall foul of huge penalties.

"Ability to pay has been an issue that Fianna Fáil has urged the Government to consider – people living in homes run by housing associations are already in a vulnerable financial position and may not be able to afford to pay the new water charges. Now the Government is expecting these associations to pick up the tab, putting them in an extremely precarious position."

(CD/JP)