A leading economist has predicted that families will end up paying an average of €600 a year in water charges when they are introduced in two years’ time.
Richard Tol, formerly of the ESRI, said households would be charged a €40 a year standing charge and €560 in usage fees “if the government has its way.”
Mr Tol accused the government of not thinking through their strategy and was heavily critical of their plans.
Now a professor of economics at Sussex University, Mr Tol said if households were to install water meters privately it would cost €200 per home but “because of the way the government is going about it” the price will be €800 – a fee he deemed “quite excessive.”
He added that if the government offers a free allowance to householders, every litre of water used above the amount will have to be more expensive, with larger households ending up paying more than smaller households.