Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Yet again the Taoiseach failed to answer my central question on whether he is happy with the registration figures. I will take his reply as a "No". It is obvious that if people do not register, even though the Government is giving them €100 to do so, they are unlikely to pay the water charges in April. I was offering him a chance to save his own skin by retreating from this abysmal policy of pushing Irish Water and water charges. The Taoiseach never listens but everybody knows that charges start at a certain level and the only way is up. Bin charges, which the Government always throws back at us for failing to prevent, have increased by 400% since they were introduced. People know the intention is to introduce the concept of payment so that the rates can be ratcheted up as the years go by.

In regard to protests, despite the best efforts of the Taoiseach and some in the media, the position of my party and the Anti-Austerity Alliance is very clear. We defend the right of people to protest. We do not resort to personal insults. That is not our method.

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