Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy has hailed a 'massive victory' for the anti-water charges movement after reports that less than half of households have paid their first water bills.

The Taoiseach had earlier announced that Irish Water would be revealing payment numbers tomorrow. However The Irish Times has reported this evening that only 43% of households have paid - or 675,000 out of 1.5 million.

Deputy Murphy has said the figures are an 'unmitigated disaster' for the utility:

Joe Higgins TD said, "the anger against the water charges and austerity is clear by the sheer scale of this boycott. It is important now that we maintain the boycott until the General Election so that it is the key issue."

Deputy Murphy told Newstalk last month that water charge protesters are on the verge of a 'big victory', amid estimates that 30% of households had failed to register with the utility.

Meanwhile the Right2Water campaign has announced plans for another national demonstration against water charges on the 29th of August.

“It’s very clear this government believes the water charges issue has gone away," the group said in a statement. "We’re saying very firmly that it hasn’t and this will be the biggest issue when it comes to the next general election.

“Right2Water promised when it was launched it would finish the job and remove water charges from the statute books. We have done so much already but we have much more to do. In the coming months we will fulfil our promise," they add.