National Demonstration against water charges on Saturday, 8th April 2017

dublin | bin tax / household tax / water tax | event notice Wednesday April 05, 2017 22:17 by r2w - Right2Water

WATER CHARGES AREN’T GONE…YET. WE NEED ONE MORE PUSH TO END THEM

WATER CHARGES AREN’T GONE…YET. WE NEED ONE MORE PUSH TO END THEM

Water Charges haven’t gone away. Fine Gael are still trying to get them in through the back door.

A special Oireachtas Committee has been meeting since December. It must report to Government by April 14. Its recommendations will decide whether water charges are scrapped or retained.

Fine Gael are proposing a charge for so called wilful waste of water. This would mean water meters in every house and a billing system just like water charges.

THIS IS A TROJAN HORSE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF WATER CHARGES AND MUST BE OPPOSED.

If Fine Gael get their way what starts as a charge for so called wilful waste will soon become a charge for normal use.

Right2Water has five TDs in the Committee arguing for an end to charges, an end to metering and they have already endorsed a referendum to enshrine the public ownership of water in the Constitution, but it is still not over the line yet.

The strength of these TDs in the Committee is determined by the strength of the Right2Water movement on the streets.

On April 8th we need to show the other members of the Committee, and in particular Fianna Fáil that this issue hasn't gone away.

We expect all parties who promised to scrap water charges during the 2016 general election to keep their word.

STOP THE WASTE

While 47% of our water is leaked through holes in the pipes, instead of investing in fixing the infrastructure, Fine Gael have spent €1bn of your money on Irish Water and a useless metering programme. Now they want to spend another €300m on metering for an ‘excess use’ that the Expert Commission on Water says doesn’t exist. It’s simple; stop the waste and fix the leaks.

No more excuses - water charges must be scrapped now!

So we need one more push to get this over the line. If you want water charges scrapped once and for all, and a referendum to enshrine the ownership of public water and sanitation services in our constitution then join us at 2pm in Dublin on Saturday April 8th.

Assembly points: Connolly Station and Heuston Station at 2pm on Saturday, 8th April 2017.