Anti-water charge protesters are vowing to keep up their efforts - despite a warning from the Taoiseach that income tax would have to rise if the Government was to abolish water charges.

Enda Kenny says income tax would have to rise by 4% if the charges were to be abolished.

The Fine Gael leader told guests at his party's Presidential dinner last night, that his Government's decisions have been "painful and difficult" for many people, but the current water system is not fit for purpose.

Yesterday, more than a hundred thousand people took to the streets calling for the charges to be scrapped.

The rallies were organised by the group Right2Water - their spokesman is Brendan Ogle.

The Agriculture Minister says the Government will take note of the number of people who took to the streets of Ireland yesterday in opposition to water charges.

Speaking on the Sunday Show earlier today - you can listen back to his full interview here - Minister Simon Coveney says he understands that people are unhappy with the manner in which the charges have been introduced:

Meanwhile, Irish Water customers who fail to register for their free allowances could be faced with an annual bill of more than €400.

According to reports in this morning's Sunday Times newspaper, the Commission for Energy Regulation will allow the company to levy a fee of just under €425 on people who do not register for their free household and child allowances.

Irish Water has reported that only 800,000 out of 2 million households have registered to date for their free allowances.

The deadline for customers to register their household details has already been pushed back a month until the 30th of November.

Originally published at 7:09am