Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----such as teachers, county council workers, city council workers and off duty members of the Garda Síochána. I spoke to two doctors who were on the march including the large number of people who work in factories and in various jobs all over the city. They were there because they are worried. The universal social charge will become a big issue with €3.5 billion collected from what was supposed to be an emergency tax. The Minister, Deputy Michael Noonan, fairly dampened a lot of people's Christmas when he said that this tax will not be withdrawn and that it is there to stay. He might reduce it a bit to pretend that he is giving a Santy present in the next budget in the run-up to the next general election. The universal social charge, the household charge and the property tax are now joined by the water charge. That is why the good, decent Irish people, the working class people, the middle class people, were out marching. I saw people in Galway whom I have never seen on any march and there has been a lot of marches in Galway over various issues. That was the first time I saw many of those decent people on a march. The Minister should not try to put the word out that these are troublemakers and people who want to cause hassle and riots. I agree there are a few troublemakers who will always try to hijack a march but the vast majority of the people who marched were decent people who marched because they are worried. I ask the Minister to do the decent thing and to withdraw this charge.

Wind down Irish Water and let the people back to the local authorities. Fund the local authorities, where the expertise is and where they know the location of the schemes, ball-cocks, stop-cocks and connections. It would be a good thing and the people would regain some faith in the Government. As it stands at present I would not like to be a Government Deputy knocking on a door during a general election, whether now or in six or 12 months time. The Irish people will not forget what the Government has introduced and how it has affected them.

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