The Taoiseach has confirmed that the average household will face water charges of at least 240 euro a year.

But Enda Kenny says the cabinet has not yet signed off on arrangements for the funding of Irish Water.

Labour Ministers are refusing to sign off on a deal until they get details of how poorer households - or those without meters - will be charged.

But in angry Dáil exchanges this afternoon, the Taoiseach said Fianna Fáil were hypocrites, who wanted even higher in the past.

Meanwhile the Tanaiste is hitting out at the leaking of information about the planned water charges. Eamon Gilmore says its never helpful that issues to be considered by the government are trawled in the media in advance.

The Taoiseach has confirmed that the Cabinet has not yet signed off on the fee.

The comments from the Tanaiste come amid reports of tensions at the Cabinet meeting today about the water charges issue.