Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said today a decision will be taken shortly on water charges, but would not commit to a definite timeframe as to when the level of payments will be revealed.

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan also said the issue will be discussed at Cabinet tomorrow, adding that the details will be agreed this week.

“The Government are considering a number of details in respect of water and we hope to conclude that matter very shortly,” Mr Kenny said.

Mr Gilmore said the issue is being discussed by the Government. “I hope that we wil be able to arrive at a conclusion reasonably quickly,” he added. “Some of the issues are well known, the issue of metering, the issue of ability to pay and so on. I hope we will be able to come to a resolution on it in the not too distant future.”

Mr Kenny and his Ministers were speaking at event in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, to mark the roll-out of 31 local enterprise offices around the country.

Mr Gilmore declined to answer questions about his leadership of the Labour Party.

Mr Kenny also said the Cabinet will discuss the pending byelections in Longford-Westmeath and Dublin West tomorrow.

Mr Hogan suggested they will be held on May 23rd, the same day as the local and European elections, as had been widely expected.