There is absolutely no doubt but that the imposition of a water - TopicsExpress

There is absolutely no doubt but that the imposition of a water charge over and above the taxation system has brought about the immense, popular anger that threatens the legitimacy of the government. I am old enough to remember that we were charged for water and many other local services through local authority municipal rates. Those rates were done away with as a political stroke and now many of the services were privatised and are now charged individually, making fortunes for the privateers. Up to recently the management and treatment of water was the responsibility of the Department of the Environment and local authorities and payment came through the national taxation code. However, acting on the dictates of the European Union, ECB, IMF and FF,FG and labour Party neo-conservative ideology it has been decided to privatise the management, treatment and supply of water to people living in Ireland. This gives Irish Water company the opportunity to impose a water charge over and above the money already being paid from our taxes. So, ending the unjust Irish water charges is not just a matter of refusing to pay but also requires a political response. The tactic of some organisations to concentrate almost exclusively on the charges is Manna from Heaven for the proponents of privatisation and could well lose us the victory we are getting so close to realising, unless wiser counsel prevails. It is therefore imperative to make a clear political demand for the closure of Irish Water and management, treatment and supply to be managed by local authorities and Department of the Environment. Critically it would be essential for the Irish Constitution to be amended to proclaim the principle of access to clean water as a human right and also the protection of our natural resources particularly water from privatisation.