EU could scupper low water charges - Harkin

The EU Commission could force the government to impose far higher water charges on Irish householders because of rules brought in by the EU Water Framework Directive. That’s the warning from the Independent MEP Marian Harkin. She says that when Ireland was negotiating the EU water framework directive it negotiated certain flexibilities that would enable EU member states not to charge households for water if they didn’t want to do so. However, Marian Harkin says that Ireland never availed of that facility. As a result, she says the EU Commission could force the government to get householders to pay for a range of services connected with the supply of water to their homes that would dramatically increase the water charges.

Out words: this flexibility

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