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THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC) has said that Ireland is no longer exempt from water charges.
In a statement today, the commission confirmed a view that it outlined to TheJounal.ie earlier this month.
What this boils down to is whether or not water charges is the established practice in Ireland, or if paying through general taxation is.
With the EC viewing water charges as the norm, Ireland will now be in breach of European law should it remove the charges.
In a response to a parliamentary question asked by Irish independent MEP Marian Harkin, European Commissioner for the Environment, Karmenu Vella points to the implementation of the river basin management plan in 2010 under a Fianna Fáil-led government as the moment established practice passed the point of no return.
This river basin management plan did not have water charges as its sole objective – but rather focused on hitting the environmental objectives of the EU’s Water Framework Directive.
Back before then, Ireland would have been in a better position to wriggle through the ‘established practice’ loophole in getting out of implementing the charges.
In his response, Commissioner Vella said that the Directive: “Does not provide for a situation whereby it can revert to any previous practice.”
Already parties on the opposition benches disagree with the EC’s assessment – with Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil contending Ireland’s established practice is for water to be paid for through general taxation.
Ireland could still potentially challenge the European Commission’s stance at the European Court of Justice.
The government’s current position is to suspend water charges for nine months and establish a commission to explore alternatives.
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Probably get suspended sentences or let out early if their guilty, so not as big an impact as would be if we had a properly functioning judicial and prison service anyway. Money for old rope.
@Eddie Garvey: could you do the job? Would you just prefer to see an end to trails, rambert judges in the criminal courts are drawn from the barristers.
@Éamonn OKane: well having seen some excellent barristers in action and some absolutely atrocious ones as well, I probably could do as a good a job as the atrocious ones, aside from that my comment was mainly aimed at the pointless nature and expense of dragging people through the courts to suspend their sentence for no good reason or to sentence them into a system that can’t accommodate them for the duration of their sentence.
Snouts in the trough!
@Brian Hunt: would you work for that rate of pay?
@Éamonn OKane: He probably doesn’t work at all.
@Sal Paradise: For once in your one year of posting here, you’re right, I’m retired. I’ve spent a lifetime working so that scr#&ts like you can spend all day on The Journal!
Why are comments about the priest in Cork closed. Is this more censorship on behalf of the Journal?
Their list of top earners is staggering & worthy of viewing when you consider their sob story. This rather elitist section of society just want more & more, totally removed from everyday life of ordinary working people. They are a section of society that didn’t experience austerity during the Troika era like everyone else. Part of our failed Judicial system that is failing victims of crime on a daily basis. I see ROG out batting for them as well, so no doubt they will be given what they want. Having witnessed some of these people in action & how they treated victims from various Inquiries & Tribunals, it’s sickening to watch them looking for more, greed.
@SV3tN8M4: That’s a bit like moaning about Clerical Officer pay because you saw the Asec pay scale.
@SV3tN8M4: every word of this is incorrect.
I could never be a defence barrister because I would only defend people who were innocent
@stella Ormes: That’s exactly what defence barristers do, only at the end of the process is guilt decided. If the defendant pleads guilty then you’re advocating, not defending.
have your say