Why are we constantly hearing Fine Gael threats of potential EU monetary sanctions over Ireland's democratic decision on water charges? Why is Fine Gael Simon Coveney holding the country to ransom with unsubstantiated arguments that this democratic decision may or may not be good enough for Brussels? Now we have Fine Gael trotting out their latest mantra of 'the county does not want elections over the water issue'.

We have two words for Fine Gael 'Established Practice' , there in black and white in the EU Water Framework Directive 2000. As Mr Coveney arrogantly says in the clip below "we don't know how many times we have to say it".

However, there is also the relevant fact that Ireland is still operating under the first River Basin Management Plan, agreed in 2010, which states that domestic water is financed through general taxation.

Just because in 2014 Fine Gael and the Labour Party, without a mandate to do so, once again tried to bring in Water Charges and railroaded legislation through the Dáil, the Irish people did not accept it. Even the cows in the field would understand that 'Water Charges' are not an 'Established Practice'.

Today on 'RTE News at One' a defiant Simon Coveney, shows off his hegemonic qualities and calls Fianna Fáil's bluff after Barry Cowen earlier threatened that Fianna Fail may not facilitate the election of a new Fine Gael leader if legislation is not forthcoming based on the Oireachtas Water Committee draft report. However, Fianna Fáil's, finance spokesperson, Michael McGrathcountered with an obvious demand

" Fine Gael concerns seem to be around the Attorney General’s legal advice on the draft report. His party would like to be shown what those concerns are and to deal with them"

Indeed the public would like to see hard facts on the table and not threats. Mr Coveney also needs to be reminded that the Fine Gael Government is only a minority one.

Source: http://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2017/0410/866645-water/