Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether it will now be 2016 before water charges are introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38807/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government and the Memorandum of Understanding with the EU, the IMF and the ECB provide for the introduction of domestic water charges. The Government considers that charging for water based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. International evidence has shown that where meters have been installed significant reductions have been achieved in the level of consumption and this is also borne out by the water savings achieved with metering in the group water sector. The Memorandum of Understanding with the EU, the IMF and the ECB requires the introduction of domestic water charges during the programme period.