Irish Water deal 'massive U-turn by Fianna Fáil', says Pearse Doherty

THE REPORTED DEAL on Irish Water between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in talks to try and form the Government is a major U-turn by Mícheál Martin if it keeps water charges and Irish Water, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said on Thursday at the Dáil.

Fianna Fáil told voters it would end the water charges regime and this leak from the talks to the media shows that Fianna Fáil cannot be trusted to keep their election promises, the Donegal deputy said.

Sinn Féin will continue to hold “the architects of this new Government to account whether they're on the Government or Opposition benches”, Pearse Doherty said in a reference to Fianna Fáil.

He said that the reported arrangement supported by Fianna Fáil leaves a “Phil Hogan Mark 2 scenario” with a metering and billing structure in place. He predicted that any allowances would be whittled away over time.

“The reality is that if Fianna Fáil wanted to fulfill their election pledge to abolish Irish Water and end water charges. They could that today by supporting the Sinn Féin motion on today's Order Paper and supporting the majority of TDs – including Fianna Fáil – who have been elected on a ticket to abolish domestic water charges.

“This is a massive climbdown by the Fianna Fáil party.”