Moves to make consumers pay a new, separate charge for reticulated
water in Ireland
has caused an outcry,
massive demonstrations and a rushed law
to protect meter installers. It
could also bring down the government at
the 2016 election. A
Little Darwin correspondent living in Ireland , an Australian , says there have been amazing
scenes in Dublin and in his smaller
village . Trucks carrying equipment and men to install
water meters
have been set on fire
. Legislation has been passed making it an offence to
go within a certain
distance of meter installers and readers
in a bid to protect
them from angry people .
The cost of the water
supply has been included in general taxes.
The imposition of a specific water charge
is regarded as double taxation. Ireland has been hammered by austerity measures
brought as a result of having to
bail out six failed private banks with loans
of 85billion Euro from the European Financial Stabilisation Facility and the
International Monetary Fund. The austerity measures have caused severe social repercussions such as home repossessions, homelessness, cutbacks
to social services , unemployment and
emigration. An independent assessment of ways and means of paying the loans suggested
the setting up of a separate water supply service , Irish
Water, the CEO of which receives 200,000 Euros . The cash strapped
populace has seen the gap between the rich and poor grow by 11 percent in the period
2007-2012. Water privatisation is seen as an undesirable growing trend .
