The European Commission has responded…
The EU has said that Ireland cannot abolish water charges without breaching EU law.
In a response to MEP Marian Harkin, the Commission stated that Ireland had “made a clear commitment to set up water charges” and there’s no situation “whereby it can revert to any previous practice.”
This would indicate that Ireland would leave itself open to EU fines were they to back out of the charges.
Environment Commissioner Carmen Vella, speaking on behalf of the European Commission, said that Ireland had committed to implementing the Water Framework Directive from the EU in 2010.
“Ireland adopted its river basin management plans in July 2010,” Commissioner Vella said.
“There is no record of a decision in those plans not to apply the provisions of Article 9(1).
“On the contrary, in the said plans, Ireland made a clear commitment to set up water charges to comply with the provisions of Article 9(1).
“Ireland subsequently applied water charges and the Commission considers that the Directive does not provide for a situation whereby it can revert to any previous practice.”
The water charges were suspended in Ireland for nine months following a Dáil vote on the matter in May.
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