The Government says it has made no Budget provisions to cover the cost of water next year – because it is working on the basis charges will return.

The money that would have been paid in the water conservation grant and savings from the local government fund has been used to cover the cost of suspending the charges in 2016.

The Cabinet discussed the issue today, but Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar said that the Government believes water charges will cover the funding of water services in 2017.

“In the absence of a decision to [do] otherwise, the suspension does end and that’s why we haven’t made provision for the €120m, €130m or so that would be required to continue the suspension of water charges beyond the end of March,” he said.