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

This arrogance and a lack of respect for people has been the key factor in the shambles which the Government has created. This sorry mess contrasts sharply with the magnificent people power movement by ordinary citizens of this State over recent months. The uplifting experiences of hundreds of thousands of people on 11 October and 1 November came as for the first time people had the confidence to come out on the streets and say they were not paying this austerity tax. The Government has been forced into a humiliating U-turn with every issue relating to charges in Irish Water but that is not enough. On 10 December, the Government will see another protest and there will be a mass movement of non-payment next year. The people want a 180° turn on the issue, with the scrapping of charges and a new strategy and investment plan that can deliver water charges that are fit for purpose for an essential public service paid through progressive taxation.

The Minister may have heard that approximately 20 minutes before he gave his speech, one of the afternoon radio shows on RTE gave listeners ten minutes in which to send texts indicating whether they would pay these charges. With the amount of leaks coming from the Government, I do not know why the Minister needed to give a press conference. Within that time, 15,000 people sent texts, with 71% indicating they will not pay this tax and 29% indicating they would pay the tax. That is the level of determination that people are demonstrating in refusing to pay this charge.

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