Sir, – Listening to the debate on whether to refund already paid charges, I offer the following. I have always paid taxes, levies, bin charges, water charges, the property tax, etc. I am one of the “squeezed middle” law-abiding citizens who believes that services have to be paid for and due care needs to be taken to ensure a democratic and fair system for all Irish people.
It is my fervent hope that someone will take due care and attention for the silent majority in this country who are too busy working away to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. We are the people who fund underfunded charitable organisations who look after the vulnerable and disadvantaged.
I believe that clean water needs to be paid for. With recent studies declaring only 27 of our rivers free from pollution, this is more important than ever.
However, I also believe we should all pay for it, and not just me and my ilk. In the event of water charges being abolished, I want my money back. I don’t mind if it is through a tax credit (although this is no use to the elderly who may have not enough earnings) or a refund. If it’s a credit on account, I’ll take that.
At least then should I at times go over my “generous quota” during holiday time, etc, the money will be there to meet the extra charges.
Please, please, someone do something for the compliant citizens, just once. – Yours, etc,
D CREMIN,
Limerick.
Sir, – As one of the hundreds of thousands (and as a minor detail, the majority of the Irish population) who obeyed the law and paid water charges from day one, the proposal to “pursue the non-payers” is simply not good enough.
A clean refund to those who paid is absolutely essential to maintain any faith in government and the rule of law, never mind the basic principle of fairness. The wording regarding treating those of us who have paid “no less fairly” is frankly insulting, and the implied message is that those of us who were stupid enough to pay may now be the recipients of pity and may be treated with a whitewash of fairness.
The Cabinet know that pursuing those who have not paid will be costly and will deliver no money. They also know that this effort will evaporate after a reasonable time, just as in the case of the refuse collection charges.
It knows, therefore, that unless Irish Water simply refunds us, those who have paid will yet again lose the payment and end up unilaterally subsidising the rest.
In that case, the Government will never get another penny for any future charges on anything.
Enough is enough. Politicians are obviously assuming that those of us who pay have jobs, run businesses and simply have too much of a sense of civic responsibility to march in protest. They may well be right about that, but we most certainly vote. The only acceptable approach to this issue is a complete refund of all water fees paid. – Yours, etc,
MOIRA CREEDON,
Bray, Co Wicklow.
Sir, – There is no public water system available where I live. I have sunk my own well and provided my own treatment system. It has cost me thousands of euro. It costs me hundreds of euro annually to maintain. And now I am expected to pay for the water of people who are on public water schemes? Why aren’t there any anti-water-charge protestors outside my gate? – Yours, etc,
JOSEPH MACKEY,
Glasson,
Athlone, Co Westmeath.
Sir, – Are some politicians taking those who paid for water as fools again by looking to reimburse us? The law must be enforced, not fudged to buy votes. – Yours, etc,
RONAN O’DOWD,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Perhaps a new group could be set up to deal with the water issue. I suggest the “Higher Authority for Metering and Effective Solutions”, or Hames for short. – Yours, etc,
CONAN DOYLE,
Kilkenny.
Sir, – Michael Noonan is understood to have said the primary objective of the Fine Gael party should be to get the "dead cat" of water charges off the agenda before a general election takes place ("FG TDs call for water charge refunds", November 1st).
Will anyone be held responsible for “killing the cat”? Not in Irish politics. – Yours, etc,
DAMIEN CARROLL,
Kingswood,
Dublin 24.