A spokesperson for Irish Water has conceded that having no standing charge for bills will push up the price of water per litre.

Head of Communications at Irish Water, Elizabeth Arnett, was responding to queries on whether people might have to pay above the predicted average bill of €240 a year.

Speaking on Newstalk Lunchtime, she said the price of water per litre will be determined by the regulator:

The Government yesterday approved a deal on water charges following long negotiations between Labour and Fine Gael.

According to the agreement, the average bill per household will be around €240 per year. Households will receive a free allowance of 30,000 litres, with an additional allowance to cover normal water usage for children under 18.