DANGEROUS WATER

Would you pay for water that contains a carcinogenic ?

About 400,000 people in ten counties are being forced to pay for water that may seriously damage their health and cause cancer!

Irish Water has refused to directly inform those affected.

The particular carcinogenic a THM from Chlorine that is contained in the supply reservoirs  pipes that builds up after two or three days.

Friends of the Irish Environment recently appealed to the European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly to compel Irish Water to directly inform 

consumers of contamination on their bills however,she said that the European Commission could not force the company to do this.

The affected water sources are in various parts of the country, with several in Kerry and Cork, Kilkenny City, Waterford, Wicklow, Meath, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal, and Galway.

Sinn Féin's position is to:- 

• Abolish domestic water charges and dismantle Irish Water;
• Stop the metering project and redirect the remaining monies to direct investment in infrastructure; 
• Establish an independent Commission on Water Services to examine the most appropriate public ownership model 
  and to report back to Government within nine months; 
• Underpin the new model for a public water service in legislation; 
• Hold a referendum to enshrine the public ownership of Ireland’s water services in the Constitution;
• Roll out a major water conservation programme in conjunction with local authorities.

Hunger Strike & Political Policing

Derek Byrne

on hunger strike at Wheatfield Prison.

The Anti-Austerity Alliance has condemned the jailing of anti-water meter protestors. 

“ The court has jailed these protestors at the behest of the Denis O’Brien owned GMC Sierra, so that they can continue to try to impose water meters on communities which have risen up in peaceful protest against their installation. Once again, the courts have been used to attack the right of people to engage in peaceful protest."

“ The attacks from the state on the campaign against water charges needs to be met with a significant response by the campaign and communities, the protest which has been organised against political policing following the Jobstown arrests on Saturday can be a response in opposition to these attacks. ”

Paul Murphy TD

Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy said “ The jailing of these protestors and the arrests in Tallaght is an attack on the right of communities to protest against the imposition of austerity measures, in this case the water charge and meters, which are being imposed by the government despite the massive opposition to them."

AAA Councillor Michael O’Brien is a councillor for the area and is involved in the protests said: “This is a disgraceful attack on the right of a community to defend itself through mass peaceful protests against the imposition of austerity."

“The protests have been met with organised violence from the state through the Gardaí. The Gardaí have acted as bully boys on behalf of the government and GMC Sierra through physical attacks and harassment of those who have engaged in the protests."

“These jailings will not deter people from protesting against the installation of water meters and will be met with a firm response by the communities and the anti-water charges movement.”

Councillor Michael O’Brien explained that he had dropped by Wheatfield prison on his way back from visiting family in Enfield over the weekend. Most of the protesters had gone but he had the fortune of meeting a member of one of the jailed activist's family. The most disturbing thing about their incarceration is the 23 hour solitary lockdown which is normally reserved as a punishment for infractions committed inside the prison but not in this occasion.

She told him that the governor claimed it wasn't his decision to place them in solitary and permit them only two visits per week. Michael O’Brien said “This stinks of a spiteful political intervention from on high to psychologically break our fellow activists and this no doubt helped provoke Derek and Ollie's decision to go on hunger strike (I hope Derek and Ollie back down on this by the way)."

"Back during the bin tax struggle the overwhelming majority of the twenty something people who were banged up were put in the training unit in Mountjoy which, while being no holiday, allowed for the maximum possible free association, visits, activities and even phone calls from the outside. The few who were put in the regular Mountjoy prison at least had a 'normal' routine of two to a cell and association times etc." 

Paul Murphy TD, Anti Austerity Alliance, said he would seek permission from prison authorities to visit the two protesters today. He said he did not advocate the use of hunger strikes as a tactic but hoped to broker a deal with the authorities which would see the prisoners being moved back to Mountjoy Prison.

Post script

Imprisoned water charges protesters will step up their hunger strike from this morning by refusing fluids in opposition to their transfer to Wheatfield Prison.

Visit link below

https://soundmigration.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/thousands-attend-irishwater-mountjoy-prison-demo/

NOTE !

Historically hunger striking links back to the ancient Celtic practise of Fasting against Injustice.

Culchies demonstrate in Dublin

This is only part of the demonstrators

This was Novembers Demo the feelings are

even stronger.

They came from all over Ireland: from the North, from Donegal, Down & Louth, from the South as far as Cork & Kerry, from the West, Mayo to Clare, from the East, Wexford & Wicklow and from the Midlands too. People from every county were there for themselves and to represent others unable to travel to Dublin.

They brought their placards, their voices and their determination. They stayed for a day and went away carrying their experiences to pass on to others.

We are proud of them !

Proud to have them as neighbours and to call them our friends.

On reading the newspapers it easy to see that the journalists are lost for words to describe what they witnessed when the ‘culchies’ came to town; unless of course, as I suspect, many of them are suppressed by a secret committee of censors!

Approximately one hundred and fifty thousand people took part in the peaceful,self disciplined demonstration. Out of this number six people were arrested and none of them actually charged. Were they the fifth columnists planted in the crowd? - I don’t know.


There is a new wave of governance flowing through the land. We know it for now as People Power which occurs when the electorate reach within themselves to become enriched with a sense of personal worth and value. Flowing from this comes the empowerment to become Activists who have ability and inner confidence to tell members of the government what they want and do not want.


That is what happened on the streets of Dublin on 10th December 2014 and from this example even larger numbers will be drawn on 31st January 2015 to another demonstration of People Power.

Calls on People To Deregister From Irish Water

Householders in Co. Roscommon will not have clean water until March 2017, more than a year after the next general election, the Dáil has heard.

As the Government prepares itself for an anti-water charges protest this afternoon outside Leinster House, Independent TD Denis Naughten said he had received correspondence from Irish Water in the last few days it would be 2017 before people in the county’s north eastern region would be able to “drink the water that’s coming out of their taps, which is a long way down the road yet”.

Press Statement - issued 4pm

Tuesday 9 December 2014

People Before Profit Alliance Calls on People To Deregister From Irish Water

Ahead of tomorrow’s Right2Water National Demonstration when tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on Dail Eireann to demand the abolition of the water charges, the People Before Profit Alliance is calling on those who have registered with Irish Water to engage in a deregistration campaign.

John Lyons, a Dublin City People Before Profit councillor for Beaumont/Donaghmede stated:

‘ I have received confirmation from Irish Water that those who have registered with the company but wish no longer to be a customer can simply call Irish Water on 1890 448 448 and close their accounts. I know of many people who registered over the last while and now regret having done so: some registered through fear and panic, which is understandable given how hundreds of thousands of families were treated by the Government with regard the Local Property Tax; others registered so as to hedge their bets, looking to avail of the now scrapped “free water allowance” whilst keeping a close eye on the water charges resistance with a view to adopting a non-payment position down the line. And of course,’ continued Cllr Lyons, ‘we know of the thousands of families who returned their Irish Water application packs with no information contained within save for “No Contract, No Consent” and other similar messages of disobedience that Irish Water have actually included in their 930,000 “respondents” figure. Well now, anyone who wants to reverse that registration decision can do so by simply picking up the phone and letting Irish Water know where to go.’

Tina MacVeigh, People Before Profit’s councillor for the Crumlin/Kimmage area, continues: “It is my firm belief that tomorrow’s Right2Water national demonstration will put yet another nail in the coffin that is the superquango called Irish Water. The mass movement of grassroots resistance to the water charges that has emerged over recent weeks and months in villages, towns and cities across Ireland is of such a scale that it has the power to topple this Government. If the Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition thinks it can kick the Irish Water can down the road to the spring of 2016 when the first penalties for non-payment apply and govern the country in the interim, they have another thing coming,’ Cllr MacVeigh stated. ‘The information we have obtained relating to peoples’ right to deregister from Irish Water is welcome as it is yet another opportunity for people to express their disgust of and resistance to the water charges. It will also give confidence to those who have registered but who are now determined not to pay these hugely regressive charges. So I would encourage those people to call Irish Water on 1890 448 448 and 

Detroit supports Irish Water Protest

Loyal friends across the pond

Today, a delegation  from The Detroit Water Brigade arrived in Dublin to stand in solidarity with Ireland and people around the globe who are fighting for strong public water systems and water accessibility. The Detroit Water Brigade provides bottled water, water coolers, rainwater catchment barrels, and water filters, to people in need. They will be visiting residents across Ireland who have been fighting against the installation of  water meters

Over the summer the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department shut off water for over 3,000 household each week due to residents being behind on payments. And though half of Detroit’s residents live below the poverty line, the Detroit city council recently approved a significant increase in water charges, making a total increase of 119% over the last 10 years. The water charges in Detroit are nearly double the US national average.

“To take water away from those who cannot afford it by handing it to a private, for-profit company isn’t just irresponsible — it’s genocidal.” Says Detroit Water Brigade’s Political Director. “We know that from firsthand experience here in Detroit and we can’t allow it to happen to Ireland.”

Since protests began the Irish government has completely lost the trust of the people. It is now obvious that the government are not listening to the people who they claim to represent, and the dogs on the street know that the people are fed up. What will it take to convince the government that access to water is a human right and not a revenue stream for bailing out big banks? How many times must we say that we demand water charges abolished before they will abolish them? And how many hundreds of thousands of people marching to the Dáil will it take to convince them that  water charges will not be accepted that people know full well that they already pay for their water.  The world is about to find out.

The peaceful protest against water charges on Wednesday, 10 December will begin at 1pm at Leinster House, Merrion Square. Solidarity protests will also take place outside Belfast City Hall, and in London outside of the Irish Embassy.

Céad míle fáilte to the delegates from Detroit 

The 1997 Act that absolves the Irish people from paying

water charges

KENNY & CO MUST GO!

No Privatisation !

NO PRIVATISATION.... Irish Water,Irish Nation!
Recorded live in the kitchen of Campbells Tavern, Cloughanover Co. Galway by Eamon deStaic and Liam Donoghue and edited by Philip Noone.
Featuting Aindrias deStaic,Noelie McDonnell,Donal Gibbons,Fabian Joyce,Liam Ivory,Dave Clancy, Willy Merrigan and Joe Fury.
This is what happens when a bunch of friends and musicians, after playing a gig together ,start talking politics in a rural kitchen in the wee hours.

The EU Needs to Cop On!

Lyn Boylan MEP  SF

European Commission rep's 'patronising and arrogant' comments on water protesters.

»MARK MOLONEY

A REPRESENTATIVE of the European Commission clashed with Sinn Féin's Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan on Thursday after the Policy Officer made "patronising and arrogant" comments about Irish water protesters during a conference in Brussels – apparently unaware that an Irish MEP was present.

During the Aqua Publica Europea conference, a spokesperson for a private water operator claimed that water should be treated like any other utility and should not be considered a free resource.

Responding to the comment, the European Commission Policy Officer for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, Lukasz Latala, said: 

"The Irish just don't seem to understand they need to pay for water."

The comment prompted an immediate response from Irish MEP Lynn Boylan - who has been appointed author of the European Citizens' Initiative Right to Water report – and was in the audience listening. 

Speaking from the floor, the Dublin MEP described the policy representative's comments as "patronising", telling him:

"The Irish people absolutely understand that water has to be paid for. But they don't understand why they are being asked to pay for it twice."

"We already pay for our water through general taxation and the wholly inept and shambolic entity that is Irish Water has also been funded by Irish taxpayers."

Speaking after the conference, Lynn Boylan said:

"The Irish Government alludes to conservation being a factor in the introduction of this tax. It is appalling that 40% of domestic water is being lost through leaking pipes. 

"Instead of the Government investing in the aged and decrepit infrastructure it has spent half a billion euro of the National Pension Reserve Fund in setting up a quango that is not fit for purpose and in the installation of water meters."

Attempt to cling to power

       Mary Lou McDonald TD & Gerry Adams TD

Gerry Adams: Government's water charge u-turn 'a desperate attempt of Fine Gael and Labour to cling to power'

Saturday, November 22, 2014 - 01:18 PM

Sinn Féin is calling for a mass mobilisation of people to protest against water charges in Dublin next month.

The Right2Water campaign, which is organising the demonstration, says it expects an historic turn-out for its rally at the Dáil on December 10.

Around 100,000 people took part in their last protest.

Organisers of next months demonstration say the protest to abolish water charges will go ahead despite the Government’s new package plan announced earlier this week.

The Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams is calling on people to send a strong message to the government.

“As with every other issue, Fine Gael and Labour have failed to listen to citizens on the water charges,” he said.

“The Government's latest policy is all about giving themselves a lifeline to run their full term. It's not about easing the pressure on those who cannot pay water charges.

“What we got on Wednesday was a PR offensive - a desperate attempt by Fine Gael and Labour to cling to power for the next year.

“Water charges have not been scrapped, the water metering programme will continue, metered charges are coming in, they will only go up, and there is still no constitutional right to water.

“This cynical Government manoeuvre will not work. The people are not stupid. It fails to address the demands of the hundreds of thousands of citizens who have taken to the streets on this issue.

“Sinn Féin is a central part of the Right2Water campaign and I am calling for the maximum possible turnout in protest against Water Charges on December 10 to deliver a strong message that Water Charges must be scrapped.

©IRISH EXAMINER 22-11-2014

Campaigner for the homeless, Fr Peter McVerry, said rent controls are necessary to ensure that the market retains an element of affordability.

New figures show the number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Dublin has trebled in the last five years. 

Fr McVerry challenged the Government to outline just what it is going to do to tackle rising homelessness as we approach the coldest months of the year.

"A lot of people who are becoming homeless today and there are six new people becoming homeless every day, a lot of them are getting kicked out of their private rental accommodation because their rents are going up and they can't afford the increase," he said.

"if the Government are not going to introduce rent controls and if they're not going to increase the rent allowance to allow people to pay the increased rents, then what on Earth are they going to do?"

©IRISH EXAMINER

Catch a WHALE

Brian Stanley TD

"Sinn Féin's environment spokesperson Brian Stanley has described today's package of measures on water charges as "an introductory offer, and a con job designed to lure people into agreeing to pay a charge that will inevitably be increased to much higher levels in years to come".

Deputy Stanley said: "The fact that the initial bills for water will now be substantially lower than those announced by the Energy Regulator at the beginning of October is a victory for opponents of the water charges. 

"The Government now needs to go one step further and abolish the water charges altogether."

He said that otherwise, households would face much higher bills when the concessions were due to end after 2018."

quote taken from Irish Examine © 2016

The Irish government of scallywags are now offering people on Social Welfare a One Hundred Euro  bribe to sign up for Irish Water - which is nothing more 

"Than a sprat to catch a WHALE !"

I have news the Irish people have woken up and they have the bit between their teeth and within those people are those others who have the taste of blood within. 

To the TD's and Ministers of Fine Gael &Labour it yours that they are after! So might it not be better to 'fall on your sword now ? ' so resign and call a general election now before  the people get really angry and remember that the commemoration of the 1916 Uprising is not too far away. . . .