Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said Fine Gael must get the “dead cat” of water charges off the agenda before an election.

The issue of water charges dominated the parliamentary party meeting tonight with several members raising concerns about the contents of the report of the expert commission examining water charges.

TDs raised questions over whether people who paid their charges should be refunded and questioned what services would be cut if levies are abolished

Mr Noonan said their position on water charges had cost the party votes and seats and it is “entirely in our interest” to kill off the debate.

He said Fine Gael members of the Oireachtas committee needed to have clear positions before deliberations began including a “generous system for wells and water schemes”.

Abolition

However Mr Noonan insisted the “political priority is to get this off the agenda before we’re back on the doors”.

The Minister for Finance said the cost of abolishing charges would be in the region of €120 million, which he described as “not significant”.

He said exchequer returns would show tax receipts were €280 million ahead of target and the refunds could be sourced from that revenue.

Any losses to departments would be minimal, he said.

Minister of State Dara Murphy said Fine Gael could not turn their back on people who paid their charges and a path to repayment would be helpful.