The Anti-Austerity Alliance has hit back at plans by the Government to consider deducting unpaid water charges from earnings of those who refuse to pay.

Dublin City Councillor Michael O’Brien has said Labour’s original opposition to water charges, ahead of the 2011 General Election, are proof that there is “legitimacy of advocating non-payment.”

Mr O’Brien insisted that people are within their rights to wage a struggle against the charges.

“Bear in mind, we talk about the legitimacy of advocating non-payment, prior to the last elections of 2011, the Labour contested on the basis of opposition to water charges,” he said.

“They had that famous Tesco style ad, warning us what we would have with a Fine Gael led government, with the promise of water charges and yet they betrayed that promise, so people are entirely within their rights to wage a struggle against this issue,” he added.

New laws would see Irish Water being given the power to go to the District Court for an attachment order, in a process that's expected to work more quickly than regular court proceedings.

If that is granted, the order would see outstanding charges deducted from someone's salary or benefits before they are paid out.