Sir, – The 62 per cent of people who are apparently in favour of abolishing water charges includes, one assumes, a mixture of those who believe on principle that free water is a right which should be paid for out of general taxation and/or those who believe that they will pay less for their water if it is funded out of general taxation than if they have to pay for what they use ("Nearly two-thirds of voters want water charges abolished", October 7th).
In the case of lower-income groups, the latter is probably a rational expectation. What is surprising is the 51 per cent in the higher-income group who also favour the abolition of charges, while presumably being aware that they are likely to end up subsidising the water consumption of many of their fellow citizens, especially if the outcome ends up being some variant of what Sinn Féin likes to call “progressive taxation”.
It is good to see such civic-mindedness is alive and well in modern Ireland. – Yours, etc,
FRANK E BANNISTER,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – I note that a recent opinion poll showed a substantial majority in favour of the abolition of water charges. How surprising. It didn’t say if there was a majority in favour of the abolition of electricity charges or of motor tax, or even if these questions were asked. – Yours, etc,
PN CORISH,
Rathgar, Dublin 6.