Govt Must Not Be Allowed To Deflect In Irish Water Failure SF

The government must not be allowed to deflect from the failure of Irish Water, Sinn Féin has said ahead of a protest to be held in Dublin this weekend.

Speaking at the Right2Water conference today, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty, said: "It is time that we galvanise all those who are fed up of the absolute black-hole waste of resources and ask the government en masse to scrap these unfair charges once and for all.

"The government are under huge pressure on this issue. With every unfolding week comes news of yet another terrible decision, yet more millions squandered – and for what? Capital expenditure on infrastructure is less now than it has been in previous governments. Fine Gael and Labour commitments on conservation, investing in infrastructure and fixing leaks are just more hot air.

"The government have been doing everything in their power to deflect from the issues at hand. They know that the majority of people have not signed up to Irish Water, between those who can't pay and those who won't pay. How can they expect Irish citizens to support a body such as Irish Water, which from its very outset has been mired by scandal and mismanagement? Its failure of the Eurostat test is yet more evidence that the Irish Water model does not work, and will not work.

"If in government, Sinn Féin will abolish the water charges, retain water services in public ownership and establish a new model of governance with democratic control, accountability and transparency. Water is a key public asset and it is also a human right and our water services must be organised with the greatest efficiency for the benefit of all our citizens.

"A big turnout to Right2Water demonstration on Saturday will prove to the government that water is not to pardon the pun, 'off the boil'. I am urging everyone to come out and demand their right to water. These charges must be abolished for good."

(MH)