Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----a separate utility company would be established and water services would be removed from local authorities. The Government, therefore, is implementing that party's plan.

It is there in black and white in the memorandum of understanding and the four-year programme, on page 26, where it is set out clearly that the Irish Government would both transfer responsibility for water services to a new public utility and introduce water charges. It is disingenuous of Fianna Fáil to say it now opposes water charges.

See this speech in context