Irish Water Defeated. Independent Commission Calls For End To Metering.
Who said people power doesn't work? In a move set to annoy Fine Gael, the Independent Water Commission has called for an end to water metering. The draft report calls on the state to become a customer of Irish Water and payment for Irish Water should be funded through general taxation, with a possible water tax introduced in the future. This move will come as a victory for the Right2Water campaigns who will feel vindicated after the amount of press inches given in an effort to discredit their wishes. Ministers and Tds alike have been severely critical of the protesters, some even going so far as to call for the jailing of non compliant "customers". Endless streams of pro Water Charges propaganda were pumped out including this tit-bit "people are filling their swimming pools free of charge" ... that epidemic of austerity ravished Irish people building swimming pools was a real eye opener wasn't it?!? "In relation to the hundreds of thousands of households who have paid, the commission recommends that "necessary measures" should be introduced to ensure those who have paid to date "will be treated no less favourably than those who have not". "However, the commission - led by Kevin Duffy - does not state whether this should involve refunds or the introduction of tax credits." the independent'ie reports. The report continues "In relation to metering, the commission states that meters have been "highly effective" in detecting leakages. But the commission says that metering will not be "technically feasible" in the likes of apartments and that it is "reasonable and fair" to assume that such households do not consume water in an excessive fashion. It is also recommended that Irish Water "renew its efforts to develop a positive engagement with consumers" on the back of a series of PR disasters in recent years." And there you have it, people power works. It should be noted that water charges was the straw that broke the camels back in austerity ravished Ireland. It is up to the people to not now rest upon their laurels and continue this move of the people. There are many many issues remaining in Ireland, it is up to we the people to remedy them. As the state is progressively breaking all the wrong records. Truthful Irish