The government has tried to put the best face on it but there is no disguising the defeat they are suffering.
57 percent of the people are refusing to pay the water charges.
Even the number of 43 percent who paid the water bills is inflated because it includes tenants who have been intimidated into paying by their landlords or people selling a house where solicitors have collected the charges for the state.
A clear majority of people have endorsed the message sent out by People Before Profit and Anti-Austerity Alliance.
This figure is even more remarkable because some of the more ‘moderate elements’ in the Right to Water campaign did not back the call for a boycott.
The Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, for example, stated publicly that he was against a boycott. The unions who supported the campaign did not publicly promote a boycott.
However the mass of people have shown tremendous courage in resisting the propaganda and bully boy tactics of the government.
Now is the time to kill off Irish Water.
We are facing a frightened government who try to hide behind bluster and threats – but are afraid to do anything to the non-payers.
They have retreated so much that they have put into their own legislation that
- You cannot be jailed for not paying water charges.
- You cannot have your water turned off or turned down to a trickle.
- Money cannot automatically be deducted from wages or social welfare.
- They have to wait at least two years before they can move against non-payers.
All of these moves show that they have little confidence for challenging the boycott movement.
Of course, this will change if the right wing parties win the next election. They have only made a tactical retreat – but this retreat has given us a chance to kill off Irish Water even before the next government is formed.
This is why People Before Profit says;
- Get the message out that we need to boycott the second quarterly water bill that is due out shortly.
- Prepare for a massive mobilisation on August 29th to show that we aim to destroy Irish Water.
The coming elections represent a chance for us to build a new political movement in Ireland- we need a radical left that will stand up to the bullies and build the movement on the streets. That's why you should vote radical left in the coming elections- it's time for a real change.
If you agree text JOIN to 087 2839964
People Before Profit