Sinn Féin has renewed its call to abolish the water charges in Ireland.

The party made the call after RTÉ leaked the report of the expert commission.

Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD said: "Despite assurances from Minister Coveney that the report would go directly to the special Oireachtas Committee on Water, the report's contents have been again leaked to RTÉ. This is deeply disappointing and further undermines the work of the Oireachtas Committee.

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"Sinn Féin will make our view of the report when we have had the opportunity to read it in full. However, we have been very clear on this issue from the start. Only the full abolition of water charges is acceptable to Sinn Féin.

"If the details of the RTÉ report are correct, it confirms Sinn Féin's view that there is no legal impediment to paying for water services from general taxation, a view backed up by independent legal opinion.

"However, people should be very weary of any proposal for a 'reduced' or 'modest' charge, as once introduced, it can be increased. Waivers can come and go, as we have seen with domestic waste collection. Once a charge is introduced, we know that, over time, it will increase; in the end, people will be left paying the €500 originally proposed by Fianna Fáil back in 2010."

(CD/LM)