THE LEADER of the Progressive Democrats stands by her assertion that Ireland will be unable to opt out of its obligations under the EU directive on water quality and supply.
Ms Mary Harney, having spent yesterday in consultation with EU sources whom she knew as Minister of State for the Environment, said the European Commission had sought legal advice on whether the Government's Bill to abolish water charges was contrary to the Maastricht Treaty.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, meanwhile, said the proposed EU directive was "well known" and had been widely publicised.
"But it is a proposal which I believe will not pass. We must make our own decision on the matter," he added.
He also said that metering water was not an option because of the cost, with estimates running to £200 million. "I would invite you to consider the cost of putting a water meter into every home in Ireland," he said, adding that it was surprising that a party which prided itself on cost control would suggest such a scheme.
Ms Harney, in a statement last night, said Commission sources had expressed their confidence in their legal opinion which rejected the Government's claimed right to veto the Commission's proposal.
"These sources confirm that there is no reality in the suggestion that Ireland can hope to retain very considerable Cohesion Fund support for water and sewerage infrastructure investment in Ireland unless this country introduced a pricing structure that encouraged water conservation by Irish consumers," she added.
The message from Brussels was that the notion of free access to unlimited use of water resources was a myth. We had never been able to have a permanent exemption from a European environmental obligation, she stated.
Mr Joe Higgins, chairman of Federation of Dublin Anti Water Charges Campaigns, said Ms Harney should come clean on her party's full agenda regarding charges for local authority services. He urged her to outline which services she would charge for and say if Dublin residents would have to, pay a tax on Water, sewage disposal and refuse collection under her party's policies.
Meanwhile, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes has requested a meeting with the Regional Affairs Commissioner, Ms Monika Wulf Mathies, to discuss water charges.
The federation wants to discuss what it sees as the continued inequity of Government policy on the abolition of water charges and the threat it is posing for group schemes.
The federation also wants to raise the issue of pollution and claims that when the water source for group schemes is polluted little is done to make those responsible pay.
In a statement yesterday the federation said: "Both the local authorities and the Department of the Environment do little to enforce their own legislation. Often, it is the local authorities themselves who cause the pollution in the first place."
