Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I wish to ask the Taoiseach about one of the measures included in the renewed programme for Government, that is, the proposal or the intention to introduce or reintroduce water charges. The programme states that it is intended to introduce charging for treated water use on the basis of a basic free allowance provided to each household and then to charge for water in excess of use above that allowance. This would obviously require the metering of water in individual households. Will the Taoiseach indicate if there is any estimate for the cost of metering every house in the country? When the Leas Cheann-Comhairle was Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, a cost was carried out which at the time amounted to approximately £1 billion. This was the estimated total cost to meter every house in the country. Has any costing been carried out on the metering of every house or dwelling into provide for water charges?

Has any consideration been given to what the basic level of water allowance would be that would apply to each house? How much is it intended would be raised by charging for water?

See this speech in context