Sinn Fein is once again calling for the water charges to be abolished and described the firm Irish Water as an "utter mess".

TD for Dublin North West Dessie Ellis TD, hit out at the main parties over their refusal to recognise the "complete and indisputable rejection".

Mr Ellis said: "Fianna Fáil has been trying to back track on what they told the people in the election. They have sought to delay charges, to kick the can down the road in a hope that it would give them to space to once again take some part in the running of the state.

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"Delays didn't work before and they won't work now. The people didn't buy the reduced charge, they didn't buy the delay in metering, they didn't even buy the ridiculous water conservation grant and they won't buy this rubbish either.

"If Fianna Fáil wanted to keep their promise to the people, they would support a vote on water charges today; if Fine Gael had any respect for the will of the people they would facilitate that vote. Power is always the priority with these two parties, the Tweedledee and Tweedledum of the gombeen political system."

(CD/LM)