Established practice and water charges…

….on the face of it the European Commission is playing fast and loose with definitions when it says:

 

Ireland cannot breach the European Water Framework Directive and abolish water charges.

All this because:

 

Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan had asked the commission whether charges can be abandoned in Ireland.

In response, the commission said all member states must adhere to the directive.

…

“If the established practice is to have a system in place implementing the recovery of the costs of water services, in accordance with the polluter pays principle, the Commission considers that the flexibility afforded to Member States as outlined in Article 9 paragraph 4 would not apply.”

If one reads the directive it does seem to be far from clear that direct water costs are necessary And one would have to agree with Boylan when she says:

Ms Boylan said the use of the phrase ‘established practices’ was key.

“Irish Water and water charges are not established practice. The established practice is to pay for water charges through general taxation,” she said.