Sinn Féin has slammed the Taoiseach over claims that abolishing water charges in Ireland would be illegal. Spokesperson on water, Eoin Ó Broin TD, described the claims as "bogus".

Deputy Ó Broin said: "Enda Kenny has claimed that the complete abolition of water charges would be illegal. His claim is bogus.

"Having lost the argument on the issue of water charges Fine Gael is now desperately trying to change the debate onto the issue of alleged household water wastage. Listening to Fine Gael spokespersons this week you would think half the country have swimming pools and the other half left their taps running twenty four hours a day.

"Just like Minister Coveney on Tuesday, Enda Kenny is trying to influence the outcome of the Oireachtas Water Committee with inaccurate and un-substantiated claims about the legality of abolishing water charges and the need for a charge for water wastage.

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"Neither Scotland nor the North of Ireland have domestic metered charges or a charge for excess use. Both of those jurisdictions are fully in compliance with EU water directives. If they can do that then so can we. There is simply no evidence that domestic water waste is an issue.

"The majority of water wasted in this state is due to leaking pipes and crumbling water infrastructure. Irish Water figures show that 47% percent of water is wasted through leaks in the public system.

"In Dublin City and in Cork City these figures are as high as 50% and 57% respectively. This is a result of years of chronic under investment by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-led governments.

"€465 million has been spent on water metering to date and some 58% of households are metered. Charging for so-called excess use of water would require the continued roll-out of universal domestic metering.

"This would cost hundreds of millions of euro. This cost, combined with the annual cost of billing and pursuing people for the charge, is not a good use of taxpayer money.

"It is Sinn Féin's view that this money would be better spent fixing the leaks in the system or investing in the wastewater treatment plants that are currently in breach of the urban wastewater treatment directive which has landed the state in European Court of Justice."

(CD/JP)