Sir, – Until I read Lydia Gillen’s letter on water metering (August 1st) I was concerned that there would be no reaction from the Irish taxpayer to this further assault.
There are many reasons why water meters should not be installed, a major factor being the 95,554, or 12. 5 per cent of residential mortgages which are in arrears. Add to that the grossly unfair property tax burden imposed upon us by the Fine Gael-Labour Coalition, the phenomenally high cost of education in Ireland, the 2 per cent insurance levy, the 23 per cent VAT rate on items such as the humble toothbrush, and the Universal Social Charge (to name but a few). All of these taxes have been introduced recently and now we have to endure a drip feed of information from Minister for Environment Phil Hogan and Irish Water as to future charges. It is particularly galling that some nameless bureaucrat glibly suggested that standing charges could be imposed to pay for proposed metering.
It has been reported that the salary of Irish Water’s managing director, Dr John Tierney (who presided over a water leakage rate of 28 per cent in Dublin City Council) will be within government guidelines at €200,000 per annum. Why not €100,000 – after all, this is a new company with no previous incumbent?
We hear that 1,600 people will be needed to install over one million meters – why, if it has to be done, could we not have manufactured these meters ourselves?
I envisage huge public health issues arising out of the grasping nature of elected representatives. Every woman knows how hard it is to teach young children about personal hygiene, hand-washing, toilet flushing, clothes washing and cleaning to prevent cross-contamination, infection and disease. Every woman in this country knows about food preparation and the need for clean water in the kitchen. No one I know wastes water – we all pay by our taxes for the provision of this fundamental resource.
Our representatives should have the guts to stand up to our European neighbours and say “No. Enough is enough.” – Yours, etc,
CAITRIONA LAWLOR,
Redesdale Road,
Mount Merrion,
Co Dublin.