Water charge campaigners claim march to draw thousands

Right2Water campaigners say they expect “tens of thousands” of protesters to take to the streets of Dublin this weekend in what they say will be “a thoroughly peaceful event”.

Speaking in advance of Saturday’s anti-water charge demonstration in Dublin, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said he expected to see an “enormous show of strength” from the Irish public in ensuring a boycott of the Irish Water charges.

“It says everything about the water charges that the bills are going to be sent on April Fool’s Day, but we’ll see on Saturday that the people are not fooled by Government spin and propaganda.”

Saturday’s march is scheduled to begin at 1pm from three points in Dublin - Connolly station, Heuston Station and Merrion Square - and will converge at O’Connell bridge for a rally on O’Connell Street.

Reiterating his assurances that the protest on March 21st would be peaceful, Mr Boyd Barrett said there had been an “over-focus on the sensationalisation” of scuffles breaking out at earlier marches.

"When you compare Ireland to Greece or France or indeed what happened in Frankfurt in the last few days, you can only conclude that the protests that are taking place in this country have been overwhelmingly peaceful.

“We want to send a message that anybody who’s not willing to be peaceful shouldn’t bother to come along on Saturday.”

‘Clear message’

Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said Saturday's event will send a clear message to the Government that people do not feel intimidated following the arrests of five protesters last month.

Paul Moore, Damien O’Neill, Bernie Hughes, Michael Batty and Derek Byrne were jailed last month after they defied a court order to come within a 20-metre exclusion zone set up around a water installation. They have since been released from prison.

“It will send a massive signal to the Government that ordinary people around the country have not been either intimidated by some threats that have been made, nor have they been taken in by the bogus concessions which everybody knows to be temporary,” said Mr Higgins.

United Left TD Joan Collins said protesters were not taking to the streets to cause trouble.

“They’re out there peacefully protesting and in their most democratic voice saying to this Government we want Irish Water abolished.”

Dessie Ellis, Sinn Féin TD, said local authorities should be responsible for delivering the water service, but would need more funding to implement the service.

“If the money that has been used in Irish Water, over €500 million that has been used, was given to the local authorities and properly managed... we would see massive changes and massive savings,” he said.