Sir, - Mary Harney's suggestion that water charges be re introduced because the economy cannot afford the provision of "free domestic water" misses the point entirely. Those of us who campaigned against water charges (and who continue to defend non payers as they are dragged through the courts!) have never done so on the basis that we did not want to pay for water. Rather the issue has always been - and remains - one of justice in taxation.
Water Charges represented a form of double taxation. Their imposition was akin to asking someone who had done their shopping and paid at the checkout to pay again in order to be allowed to leave the supermarket. The abolition of domestic rates 20 years ago led to increases in both direct and indirect taxes in order to fund local government. The successive governments have colluded in the hiving off of funds destined for the local authorities through the Rate Support Grant and have failed to give adequate funding to local authorities is frankly not our problem. PAYE taxpayers continue to shoulder a grossly unjust share of the taxation burden. Over the last number of years we have witnessed the writing off of nearly a billion pounds in due taxes through two tax amnesties for cheats and a failure by all politicians to face up to the question of real tax reform.
Last December the government was forced to abolish water charges because they had become uncollectable. They had become uncollectable because of a massive campaign of people power which united PAYE taxpayers and pensions in standing up for our rights in a way which had not been seen in Ireland for decades. Any politician who considers the re imposition of these charges would be well advised to take note of the fact that such charges will not be accepted and will not be paid. - Yours, etc.,
Secretary,
Federation of Dublin Anti-Water
Charge Campaigners,
P.O. Box 4543,
Dublin 1.