Dublin water protest: thousands call for abolition of charges

Several thousand people attended a protest calling for the abolition of water charges in Dublin on Saturday.

Organisers said over 15,000 attended the protest while a spokesman for Garda Press Office said they could not give an official figure but estimated less than 10,000.

The protest was organised by the Right2Water campaign and began at Connolly and Heuston stations at 2pm. Protestors from around the State marched to St Stephen’s Green holding signs and chanting slogans such as “Enda Kenny, not a penny” and “No way we won’t pay.”

Organisers are calling for a referendum to enshrine ownership of water in the hands of the Irish public.

During negotiations to form a government, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael agreed to suspend water charges for nine months and allow an independent commission to examine the best charging regime.

Its findings will be sent to a Dáil committee for examination and a decision on the future of the levies. Water charges have been suspended across the country since the start of July.

However the European Commission has warned that Ireland could face fines because of the decision to suspend water charges, and maintains that charges cannot be abolished without breaking the water framework directive, which Ireland has already signed.

As well as calling for abolition of charges, the Right2Water group is also campaigning for a referendum to guarantee public ownership of water and the rejection of the TTIP and CETA international trade agreements.

Right2Water Co-ordinator David Gibney said people were frustrated that “70 per cent of TDs who were returned to the Dáil this time around are against water charges - yet Fine Gael and the Government have managed to prolong the debate”.

Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy said this was the eighth Right2Water protest and the movement would continue until water charges are abolished.

“The anti water charges movement has shown remarkable resilience to have such a big turnout today since the general election. It has worked because people are not getting water bills but they are still turning out for protests,” said Mr Murphy.

“I think the fact that Fianna Fail has been pushed into a position of opposition to water charges is a reflection that the movement is so powerful. It has shown protesting and non-payment works. People feel confident that we can force abolition of charges,”he said.

Mr Murphy also said the Apple tax issued had angered the Irish public.

“The Apple tax has given people 13 billion reasons to come out and march. It is such a clear example that the Government are only interested in the rich and don’t represent ordinary people.There is one approach to the European Union when it comes to getting corporations here paying their takes and when ordinary people have to pay water charges. People can see this hypocrisy by the Government about the Apple Tax and it enrages people,” he said.