Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister claims repeatedly that the setting up of Irish Water, Uisce Éireann, will save €2 billion up to 2021. He gives the impression that some kind of magic efficiency is involved. This is the most cynical mendacity. Will he confirm today what Irish Water has confirmed, namely, that the figure of €2 billion will in fact be accounted for by water taxes on households? He has not been honest enough to spell that out.

The ESRI paper estimates that water tax from households could amount to €630 million per annum, or €426 per household, on average.

I ask the Minister what estimate his Department is putting on the water charges when they are introduced. Does the Minister agree that this is a tax for a service that is being paid for by householders at the moment and for which they have paid for many years through income tax, VAT and so forth, and that imposing a new tax is a blatant double taxation and is unjust?

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