FF won’t take ‘final position’ on water charges until after Oireachtas deliberations

Fianna Fáil will adopt a final position on water charges after an Oireachtas committee concludes its deliberations.

Chaired by the former chairman of the Labour Court, Kevin Duffy, an expert commission is expected to recommend generous domestic allowances which would effectively scrap water charges for most families.

The report will be sent to a newly established Oireachtas committee for examination and charges will be decided by a Dáil vote.

Fianna Fáil’s spokesman on finance Michael McGrath said the party would respect the outcome of the process.

Mr McGrath said the draft recommendations were a significant departure from Government policy.

He said: “We won’t be adopting any final position until the joint committee has concluded its work. We are dealing with a leaked draft report.”