SF vow to stand with communities over water charges

Donegal TDs Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Pearse Doherty have said that Sinn Féin will stand with communities to oppose any attempts by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to introduce the domestic water charges by the back door, now or in the future.

The Deputies made their comments following government kite-flying in the media that they are preparing to introduce a charge for so-called excessive use.

Teachta Mac Lochlainn said: “Sinn Féin will continue to stand with communities in Donegal against any proposals that would unfairly burden households under the guise of water conservation.

“Donegal communities stood together to defeat water charges before and will do so again.

“If government goes down this road, their actual intention would be to introduce the principle of charging for domestic water services. This would be the first step in water charges being applied to all households.

“They said nothing about it during the General Election, and it is not contained in their Programme for Government.

“Following a public backlash this week, Minister James Browne and the Taoiseach were forced to climb down.

“But this kite-flying didn’t come from nowhere, so my message to him and members of government is that Sinn Féin will oppose any attempts to introduce water charges by the backdoor, whether that be today or in the future.”

Deputy Doherty added: “Domestic water charges do not reduce water consumption. That is clear. It instead causes water poverty, punishing those on low incomes unable to afford increasing charges.

“Many households that have above average water usage levels are not actually consuming more. Rather their homes are older or have building defects causing significant leakages.

“We know pensioners living in older properties and those living in defective block homes are particularly vulnerable if any form of charge is brought in.

“The scheme would cost more to administer than it would raise, making their entire exercise pointless.

“If the government was serious about water conservation, it would be funding Uisce Éireann to accelerate their own leakage reduction programme which is the single biggest cause of water loss in the domestic water system.

“They would also have fully implemented the recommendations of the Future Funding of Water Services Report, which set out ambitious actions to improve water conservation.

“These included expanding the First Fix service provided by Uisce Éireann, developing a proactive cross Departmental strategy on conservation with a focus on education and awareness; retrofitting; stronger building standards and regulations for all new residential builds.

“The fact that this government hasn’t done any of this demonstrates that they are just not serious about water conservation.

“General taxation is how people already pay for their domestic water services. Introducing a domestic water charge would be a form of double taxation.

“It would do nothing to reduce water wastage and nothing to improve conservation but it would punish some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“That is why Sinn Féin will stand shoulder to shoulder with our communities in Donegal in opposing any attempt to introduce domestic water charges by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.”

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