Former Junior Environment minister Fergus O'Dowd says the battle for the hearts and minds of Irish people over water charges has been lost.

He insisted he'd tried to raise concerns about the way Irish Water was set up and how it was handled at the outset.

Earlier Former Environment Minister Phil Hogan had said his Junior Minister had been fully briefed on all issues of concern.

However, Fergus O'Dowd said it's not too late to make fundamental changes in Irish Water;