Sir, – May I point out to Ivan Rusk (Letters, May 5th) that if he had joined the majority of those who refuse to pay – out of taxed income – for the enormously extravagant commercial company Irish Water, whose primary aim is to make profits for its owners, then the charges would have been abolished long since.
One hopes that this unacceptable undertaking will be replaced by a State body run by our public service at a proper cost, sooner rather than later.
– Yours, etc,
W J MURPHY
Malahide,
Co Dublin.
A chara – I recently had to contract three service providers (a plumber, a pump specialist and a digger) to repair the damage to a burst well pipe on my rural property 19km from Kilkenny city.
Repairs and maintenance to my water supply are annual costs factored into my household budget. How far does Paul Murphy TD and the Anti-Austerity Alliance think the once-off €100 grant goes on alleviating these costs?
– Is mise,
THÉRÈSE PERROTT
Thomastown,
Co Kilkenny.
Sir, – Colm Keena's attack on myself and the AAA/PBP group of TDs speaks volumes for the disconnect in political commentary on the water charges campaign (Opinion, April 30th).
He is not entitled to compare an organisation that has campaigned for refugee rights and opposed Europe’s attempt to exclude those fleeing war with those on the far right who have attacked and stigmatised refugees and ethnic groups.
His argument seems to be that opposition to refuse and water charges simply facilitates worst outcomes. Among the points raised by the anti-bin charges campaign was the warning that charges would hasten privatisation of the services, abandonment of waivers, and a race to the bottom for workers.
It was the bin charges, not the campaign against them that hastened the privatisation of the service – areas with no effective campaign were the first to be privatised.
As for Mr Keena’s dire warnings about our water infrastructure; we already pay for water and will continue to do so.
It is ironic that our failing infrastructure did not become the cause célèbre for political commentators until a mass movement scuppered the charges and inevitable privatisation. I look forward to their support for a central progressive taxation system that can properly fund water and other vital services such as health and housing for all our citizens
The main goal of AAA/PBP is not protest for protest sake, but to campaign to show that there is now an alternative. The water charges campaign drew thousands into activity for the first time. I celebrate that and hope it is the start of many campaigns against the skewed priorities of our economic and political system. – Yours, etc,
DEPUTY BRÍD SMITH
Dáil Éireann,
Leinster House.