The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has pledged to revisit the concept of farmers being billed by separate bodies for their domestic and farm water supply. At a meeting with Cathy Mannion, the CER’s director of energy retail and water, IFA expressed dissatisfaction at the proposal, describing it as “wasteful inefficiency”.

It would see local authorities still bill for farm water, with Irish Water billing for domestic use. The director confirmed that households and farms with private wells will not pay water charges.

IFA highlighted the need to end duplication of water quality inspections. It also stressed the need to establish a compensation package where farmland is sterilised to accommodate water abstraction for public use.