Both the government and Fianna Fail are set to come under pressure today in a Dáil debate on water charges.

TDs will debate a motion from Sinn Féin which calls for water to be paid for through general taxation.

The motion is partly intended as a reminder to the government that the thorny question of water, and how to pay for it, has not gone away.

But the motion is also intended to smoke out Fianna Fail, which is seen as having flip-flopped on water.

During the election the party said it would abolish charges, but later claimed that policy could only hold for five years.

And in a recent submission to the expert group on water charges, the party has said it wants water to be funded through general taxation.

That's exactly what Sinn Fein's motion is calling for, but Fianna Fail are not likely to support it.

The government has tabled a counter motion which will be put to vote first tomorrow - one which has been drafted with Fianna Fail’s input.

So if Sinn Féin’s motive is to tie the government and the major opposition party together on the subject, it would seem like mission accomplished.