Naughten says debating water charges is a ‘waste of time’

Independent TD Denis Naughten has said that debating water charges in the Dáil is a waste of time.

The Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources said the Dáil and the Seanad needed to “join together to come up with some constructive solutions both in the short term and the medium term...it is a complex issue”.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Naughten said:

“We will have failed as a government if this matter is not addressed. All of us need to work together.

“Instead of petty bickering about whether we should abolish water charges today or in six months time we should be getting on to the real issues like the thousands of children homeless.

“I believe debating water charges is a waste of time.”

The Cabinet will discuss the wording of a counter motion to that proposed by Sinn Féin in the Dáil to abolish water charges and Irish Water and also a new budgetary process at its weekly meeting on Tuesday.

The counter-motion will be framed along the lines of the water agreement reached between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil as part of the deal on a minority government.

Fianna Fáil is also expected to table a counter motion on the same basis.

The issue caused a brief controversy on Monday when Independent Minister of State John Halligan initially indicated he would support a Sinn Féin motion on the issue before stating he planned to vote with the Government.

The Waterford TD clarified his position after speaking to Simon Coveney, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, who also has responsibility for water charges and Irish Water.

It is understood Mr Coveney and Mr Halligan, who is the Minister of State for Training and Skills, discussed a counter-motion to be tabled by the Government.

The vote will not take place until the debate concludes tomorrow.

The Cabinet is also expected to discuss the establishment of a cross party health committee to look at a strategy for the health service.

The chairpersons of the Oireachtas committees have yet to be appointed.