Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This week, people have been outraged by the most recent display of stroke politics. While that particular fiasco plays out, however, the Taoiseach has managed to pull off another fairly big stroke. That is, as of tomorrow, he has shifted the burden of taxation from the Exchequer balance-sheet on to individual households by way of the introduction of water charges.

The Government tried to force this on us by telling us that it was first and foremost an exercise in conservation. If that were true, every single person in the State, rather than every household, would have been given a free allowance, such that only wastage exceeding the allowance would be paid for. However, this is not about conservation; the goal is to develop a new funding model. It is a simple as that. Rich and poor will be treated equally and there is no real ability-to-pay clause.

This morning's reports of average costs are essentially an opening salvo, but the caveat is that the rate will be capped only for the first nine months. By then, Irish Water will have achieved its stated aim of turning citizens into customers who will blindly accept their liability and pay water charges. Is that the Taoiseach's plan?

To add further insult to injury, it has been decided that PPS numbers have to be applied. That was in the legislation. The numbers are no longer deemed to be personal. If one does not provide a PPS number, one is essentially fined by way of additional charges. That is what the commissioner said on "Morning Ireland" this morning.

I have repeatedly heard people say to me they feel they are living in a dictatorship. I can understand why they are saying that. We are now in circumstances in which Irish Water has a more complete set of data available to it than any Department, which is crazy.

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