Sir, – I joined the protest in Dublin yesterday, the first I’ve ever attended. I did so not because I object to paying for water – I understand that the investment has to be made, though I cannot fathom why it was not done during the years when we told that we had more money than we were able to spend – but because the Government, in allowing Irish Water to be set up as it was, gave us, their fellow citizens, two fingers. For me, the Irish Water charge is not so much a tax too many as an insult too many. I also wanted to show that, notwithstanding the ravings of Fine Gael backwoodsmen, protesters are not necessarily loony leftists or dupes of some sinister fringe. I experienced a peaceful, positive and very enjoyable event and I’m looking forward to the next one. – Yours, etc,
MAEVE KENNEDY,
Rathgar, Dublin 6.
Sir , – The leaders of the various “can’t pay – won’t pay” water charges factions assure the Irish people on an extremely regular basis that “hundreds of thousands” of citizens will not be paying water charges under any circumstances. Strange then that a significant proportion of these people pay to the government on a voluntary basis large amounts of VAT on non-essential and luxurious items (particularly at Christmas time). Similarly large numbers also voluntarily pay staggeringly large amounts of money on a daily basis in respect of alcohol and tobacco. Peculiar then that they are so reluctant to pay a few cent per day for the life-giving water that is delivered to their homes. This surely demonstrates that the behaviour of the “can’t pay – won’t pay” brigade is unthinking , irrational and bizarre and it must be a cause for concern that so many people can be so easily led. – Yours, etc,
HUGH PIERCE,
Celbridge, Co Kildare.
Sir, – Huge questions remain regarding the years of neglecting the national water infrastructure and a pricing regime that doesn’t actually discourage wasteful use of a precious resource. On the question of free water, however, the anti-water charges protest movement should get its facts straight. Free water is not a human right – affordable water is. The right to water is not specifically mentioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as adopted by the UN general assembly in 1948. However, various resolutions since then, such as resolution 64/292 of 2010, explicitly recognise the human right to water and sanitation and acknowledge that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realisation of all human rights. The right to water has also been defined by the UN as “the right of everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable and physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses”.
Affordable, not free. – Yours, etc,
VINCENT HIBBERT,
Inchicore,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – The very fact that the capital city was brought to a standstill 15 days before Christmas is an absolute disgrace. There was absolutely no reason to blockade O’Connell Street. – Yours, etc,
GARY HONER,
Rialto, Dublin 8.
Sir, – What struck me about the water protest was the sheer volume of gardaí on duty. The entire length of Kildare Street, the western side of Merrion Square and part of Molesworth Street were cordoned off by barriers, preventing any access by the citizenry to these public streets of the capital city. If the streets had been free for people to traverse, the protest would have been over many hours earlier. It revealed a bunker mentality by a fearful Government that is driving a bigger wedge daily between itself and the citizens of Ireland. – Yours, etc,
MAURICE
O’CALLAGHAN,
Stillorgan, Co Dublin.