Call for civil disobedience against unjust water tax

As the Dublin government begins to install water meters across the Twenty-Six County state, eirigi Dublin City Councillor Louise Minihan has called on local communities to “get organised” to resist the installation programme.

A plan to charge every household for water use was one of the key demands of the ‘Troika’ of lenders -- the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The company collecting water bills is ‘Irish Water’. The new state body is expected to be sold off, or otherwise privatised, in order to help repay the Troika for the bailout of the state’s corrupt banks.

Meter installation has already begun in Maynooth, County Kildare and will continue in Leixlip and Celbridge later this month. Tralee, Navan and Wexford town will follow in October, with installations in Dublin, Fingal, Castlebar and Limerick commencing in November.

Residents are supposed to receive an information pack from Irish Water two weeks before the installation. This should then be followed up with a reminder two days in advance of any works taking place.

eirigi councillor Louise Minihan said he proposed domestic water tax “will affect every family in this state”

She said to date more than 22,000 people have viewed an eirigi ‘Water Meter Sabotage’ video to easily prevent the installation of a water meter at their homes.

“Civil disobedience and direct action are completely justified in the fight against not just the water tax, but also the wider austerity programme,” she said.

“I encourage anyone opposed to the water tax to watch the video online and do what they need to do to protect their family’s access to safe clean drinking water.

“Two weeks’ notice of work beginning in each area will give people plenty of time to organise a campaign of resistance. Communities must be ready to physically prevent the introduction of water meters if necessary.

“I would strongly encourage people to contact eirigi, or other organisations that are opposed to the water tax, as soon as you receive notification that water meters are to be installed in your area so as we can provide advice and assistance for the immediate organisation of such local resistance. By standing together in our communities we can defeat the water tax.”

Urgent Appeal