Donegal Right2Water support prisoners

THE Right2Water activists in Donegal yesterday affirmed their support for the five water protesters who were jailed in Dublin on Thursday.

They have pledged the support of the water campaigners of Donegal to their comrades who were jailed for between 28 and 56 days respectively.

Right2Water Donegal PRO Gary Doherty has described the imprisonment of the five as “an unnecessary and provocative decision brought about by an unfair water charge that has already been rejected and cannot work.”

Speaking today, Cllr Doherty said: “We have a country where 37 per cent of children live in deprivation and 1.7 million citizens have less than €100 disposal income monthly. Moreover, another 500,000 citizens have nothing left after bills have been paid.

“The communities represented by the protesters jailed today are the human face of these statistics. We again call on the government to show common sense, halt the installation of water meters and abolish these charges. This is necessary to prevent any further unnecessary confrontation in the interests of both communities and workers,” Cllr Doherty said.

Fellow Right2Water Donegal member Philip McFadden said: “It is important to remember that these jailings are not as a result of any crime committed, but for a technical ‘contempt’ issue.

“They stand in stark contrast to the apparent impunity of those who brought about the financial crisis which has resulted in untold hardship for communities across Ireland – hardship further exacerbated by the imposition of water charges. The movement against water charges has been based on mass peaceful protest, and this will continue.

“The ultimate responsibility for these incarcerations lies with the Government who have made a political choice to impose water charges on communities. The protestors jailed yesterday are simply protecting themselves, their children and their communities from further political attacks on their living standards. They should be freed without delay”.

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