Water protesters interpret Topaz chief’s call for dictatorship as high-octane

If your media tycoon uncle is the State’s richest man with close Government links, it’s best not to go around advocating the overthrow of democracy in favour of dictatorship. People might think you’re serious.

Emmet O’Neill, Denis O’Brien’s nephew and a millionaire in his own right, may well be walking around this weekend with his palm attached to his forehead.

O'Neill, who founded Smiles Dental, gave a seemingly innocuous interview two years ago on the fringes of a young entrepreneur event. Asked about what frustrated him about doing business in Ireland, he said: "The constant bad news in the media. It drives me mad. I feel what we need is a five-year period of dictatorship, sort it all out, give it back to us and not allow anyone to have an opinion."

O’Neill’s frustration appeared genuine. There was, however, an obvious glint in his eye when he spoke of dictatorship. However, he may regret saying it now.

This week, someone in the anti-water charges campaign put the clip on social media. O'Brien, whose Sierra company is involved in the rollout of meters, has become a pantomime villain to protesters. Topaz, his chain of fuel stations, is now a target for anti-water charge pickets. And O'Neill is chief executive of Topaz. Today, more than 40 water charge protesters are due to picket the Topaz station in Cabra, north Dublin; its forecourts in Malahide and Mullingar have previously been targeted.

O'Brien has already courted controversy by appointing former taoiseach Brian Cowen and former AIB managing director Colm Doherty to Topaz's board.

If the demonstrators are successful in connecting water charges with Topaz, it could create a problem for the company.

With the energy currently driving the anti-water charges campaign, today’s picket is unlikely to be the last. The protesters are unlikely to listen to reason from anybody. Not even a dictator.