The following motion was moved by Deputy Dara Calleary on Tuesday, 6 May 2014:That Dáil Éireann: notes:— the commitment of the Taoiseach to inform the Houses of the Oireachtas of the standard level of water charges prior to the 23 May election; and — protracted Government delays in providing information to the public and the Commission for Energy Regulation in regard to the level of free allowance, low income household subvention, rebates, first fix policy and ongoing total level of public subvention;further notes:— that the Central Statistics Office calculated an average bill of €240 per household based on current public expenditure subvention levels; — reports of an average €50 standing charge per household regardless of water use; and — that just one out of four houses will be metered by the time charges will be introduced, leaving over one million households without meters facing fixed bills;condemns the:— cynical, politically motivated delay of information on what level of water charges households will have to pay; — failure to outline how unmetered households will be charged; — lack of consideration being given to ability to pay; and — unsustainable burden of a water tax being placed at this time on homeowners in addition to a doubling of the property tax on the family home and other stealth taxes; andcalls and agrees that:— the Government should publish the full details of its water charges policy before 23 May so that homeowners are made fully aware of the costs they face; — any water pricing system should be introduced only after the water infrastructure is made fit for purpose, and must encompass the ability to pay of low income households, differential water usage by individuals with special needs such as medical requirements and large families; and — rebates should be considered and disclosed for properties that will not be metered prior to the introduction of charges.

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