Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I am no leader, I am an activist.

I have listened to the Taoiseach’s reply and have to raise the issue again. The Minister sitting beside the Taoiseach has clearly stated huge mistakes were made in setting up Irish Water. He also confirmed that rushing the legislation through the Dáil was inappropriate. I do not know what Phil Hogan is doing in his cushy number in Europe, but he obviously does not give a toss about the situation here anymore. Does the buck not stop with the Taoiseach for this fiasco? He is head of a Government which has completely lost the trust of the people. That is the message that was sent loud and clear from the mass protests held last Saturday, the biggest mass mobilisation of people in the country for at least 30 years. They have come out loud and clear on this matter. The Government came to power with a pledge to burn the bondholders and not to give them one red cent, as the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, said. It then listened to the troika, the ECB and the European Commission and did a 180 degree turn. Why will it not listen to the people? People are not asking the Taoiseach to fiddle around at the edges or for an extra €100 off here or there but for the charges to be stopped now. Mickey Mouse concessions will not make a difference to the mass movement of people who will not disappear. They will be back on the streets on 10 December to demand that Irish Water and water taxes go. The Taoiseach should accept the reality that the tax will not stick. It should be abolished. This is his poll tax. He has a choice to abolish the charges or go down with them, as Mrs. Thatcher did with the poll tax.

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