Fine Gael is calling on Sinn Féin to come clean with the public on how it intends to fund water and waste water infrastructure in the future.

FG TD for Louth, Peter Fitzpatrick, slammed SF over its "populist charade".

Mr Fitzpatrick said: "This week Sinn Féin is to use Private Members time in the Dáil to table a motion, end domestic water charges and establish a new public water and sanitation board, to deliver water. It is quite clear that the proposed new board is just another Irish Water.

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"Sinn Féin Deputy Peadar Tobin claimed on local radio this week that the party's policy is that those who have already paid their water charges will not be refunded and those who have not paid do not need to pay. However on national radio Deputy Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, said the party was in favour of refunds to those who have paid. It's clear they're all over the place."

"Fine Gael, in sharp contrast to Sinn Féin, is very clear on where we stand in relation to water charges. This party fully believes in the benefits of maintaining a national utility to fix, upgrade and maintain our water network so families and businesses can enjoy a secure and clean water supply. We also believe it is still the law to pay your water bill and we are committed to ensuring that those who have paid their water bills to date will be no worse off than those who have not."

(CD/LM)