Water, water everywhere - and a new tax to go with it?

Junior Environment Minister Paudie Coffey has told Newstalk that 'nobody likes new taxes' when talking about the uptake of water charge payment.

Irish Water says some 675,000 households are paying their water charges, and it is believed that €30.5m of the almost €67m it had issued in bills in the first three months of the year has been collected.

"It's a solid start and it's one from which we now move forward into bill cycle two...It is in line with what we expected it to be", Irish Water spokesperson Elizabeth Arnett told Newstalk Breakfast.

While the Environment Minister Alan Kelly has said "one way or the other, everyone will end up having to pay" their Irish Water bill.

And the Right2Water group has added that the latest payment figures show "a massive rejection" of the scheme.

But speaking on Newstalk Lunchtime, Mr Coffey said he understands people do not like "paying new taxes".