Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said people who get bills for water charges in the coming days should still pay.

Mr Martin said it was his party’s position that householders must still pay the charges despite the levies being suspended within six weeks.

He said: “People should uphold the law.”

Mr Martin said it was a reasonable request to ask people to respect the law of the land.

Asked about whether the 900,000 householders who have paid their charges should be refunded Mr Martin said a decision on priorities would have to be made at a later point.

Mr Martin said his parliamentary party fully endorsed the programme put forward by the negotiating team.

He also rejected a proposal by Dublin City Councillor Daithí De Roiste to put the agreement to an emergency ardfheis.

Mr Martin said there was no provision to hold one when the party was not entering government.

Asked if he was content the party was putting Enda Kenny back into government, Mr Martin said: “We are not happy with the idea of Enda Kenny or Fine Gael back in government. That said we have an obligation to the Irish people.

“It is our sense they do not want an election right now.”

Mr Martin also criticised Sinn Féin for sitting on their hands during these discussions.

He claimed the party would have had a far better chance of implementing its policies under a Fianna Fáil-led minority government.

Mr Martin added: “As someone said at the parliamentary party he [Gerry Adams] preferred to watch cowboy films rather than getting involved in government talks.”