Right2Water announce major National Demonstration on Saturday, 29th August 2015

national | bin tax / household tax / water tax | event notice Sunday August 23, 2015 20:49 by right2water Right2WaterIRL at gmail dot com

The Right2Water campaign has called another major demonstration in Dublin on Saturday 29th August 2015 at 2pm.

The government is still on the hop because not enough people have paid their water bills and we can still beat them. This is why they have now said they have capped the amount out for another couple of years but don't be fooled, we need to keep the pressure on. They are also in negotiations for the TTIP treaty which between Europe and the US and is a corporate wishlist and includes provisions to allow them to sue governments if they do NOT privatise public services including of course water. At this point they will claim they had no choice and the "decision" was taken out of their hands. So integral to winning the Right to Water is to defeat the TTIP and ensure it never gets passed.

The Right2Water campaign includes community groups, trade unions and political representatives and has been the biggest popular mobilisation since the foundation of the state with approximately half a million people attending their four previous demonstrations.

“It’s very clear this government believes the water charges issue has gone away. We’re saying very firmly that it hasn’t and this will be the biggest issue when it comes to the next general election.

“On Saturday, 29th August we intend to show this government that water charges are still the number one item on the agenda and we have no doubt this will be our biggest event yet.”

The Right2Water campaign believes recent events where the government gave the Courts the ability to attach unpaid water bills to earnings in two years time have only added fuel to the fire.

“People are outraged. The government obviously recognise they have lost the debate. Nobody wants these unfair water charges because they see it for the scam that it is.

“We already pay for our water and sanitation through general taxation, which is progressive and fair and we want it to remain that way. Instead of listening to us, this government wants to intimidate and threaten people with Court dates and attachment orders, but we’re not falling for it. We will continue to build and articulate our ideals for a better, fairer Ireland that doesn’t put a monetary value on everything – including turning our water into a profitable resource to be privatised in the future.

“Last week at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ Biennial Delegate Conference, delegates voted to make abolition of these water charges their policy for the next two years. By then we believe the people's movement against these charges will have succeeded in protecting our human right to water and abolishing these regressive charges. The Conference also endorsed ensuring water remains in public ownership through a referendum.

“Right2Water promised when it was launched it would finish the job and remove water charges from the statute books. We have done so much already but we have much more to do. In the coming months we will fulfil our promise.”

The Right2Water campaign believes that water is a human right and the introduction of these water charges is an infringement on that right. While Ireland is currently the only country in Europe with zero water poverty, these charges will inevitably lead to a new form of poverty being introduced. In Italy, France, across Eastern Europe and Detroit in the USA, families are having their water shut off for being unable to pay their bills. This is not the future that we want in Ireland.

The demonstration on Saturday, 29th August will be the most colourful and family friendly event yet and Right2Water say there will be face painting and balloons for children on the day

Buses for Right2Water National Demonstration

Arklow 085 109 2030 or arklowright2water@gmail.com or Facebook

Ballina/Castlebar - Contact 086 195 3352

Ballyshannon/ Bundoran/ Tullaghan – Call 087 242 4829

Bray – Meet at Bray Dart Station at 12:30pm

Carlow – Book at David Bradshaws Barber shop on Tullow Street or Recharge Cartridges

Carndonagh/ Buncrana/ Burnfoot – Call 086 223 3146 or 086 845 2458

Carraroe – Call 087 768 2933

Clare – 086 8148566 or 089 441 5294

Clonmel – Call 052 612 1833 or 087 280 2199

Cobh – Call 087 187 0160

Cork City – Call 086 827 8063 or 087 126 0276 or 087 272 7157

Drogheda - Departing Abbey Shopping Centre Car Park @ 12:30 - € 7 call 0876418191 or 0852009034

Enniscorthy – Call 087 213 5007

Laois/Offaly – Call 086 005 2640

Leitrim bus leaving Carrick on Shannon bus stop at 10am and Dromod Coppersmith at 10.20am €12 return contact 087 2339003

Letterkenny – Contact ‘Letterkenny Against Water Charges’

Limerick – 086 8148566 or 089 441 5294

Listowel – Call 087 797 3348

Navan – Call 046 902 1345

Roscommon - leaving Castlerea at 10am, Roscommon arts centre 10.45, 10 Euro for adults 5 euro for kids. Contact: Theresa 0858259618

Thurles - Contact the Thurles Right2Water committee

Tralee – Contact ‘Right2Water Tralee’

West-Donegal – Call 086 312 2784

Wexford – Call 083 185 0803

Wicklow – Call 085 274 4752