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

I was amused to hear the Labour Party Deputy, Deputy Eric Byrne, refer to Deputy Adams as a "sponger" in the Chamber yesterday. Just last weekend, I spent a day clearing out years and decades of political and council papers that had built up in the parlour of my house and happened to come across an election leaflet from the early noughties from the bold Deputy Byrne. I read it and under the bold heading, You Know Where I Stand, Deputy Byrne pledged to oppose not just water charges, but all service charges. This raises a question in regard to his political position. We know where he stands now. I should, perhaps, put his election leaflet on Facebook so that people can see clearly the change he and many Labour Party Deputies have made on this issue.

Calling someone a "sponger" is mild compared to what Labour Party councillor, Dermot Lacey, called water charges protesters at a recent Dublin City Council meeting. He referred to them as "fascists", a charge he refused to retract when challenged. Connolly and Larkin must be spinning in their graves at the antics of some of those who have usurped the honourable traditions of the Labour Party. They are nothing short of a disgrace.

Now we have the spectacle of a Labour Party Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, threatening those who cannot and will not pay the charge with a hell and high water attitude. We now see the Government retreat of last year clearly as what we said it was, a tactical step back in the hope that mass opposition to Irish Water and the charges would weaken. We said at the time that the Government could not be trusted. We know it has lowered the charge as a tactic, as a Trojan horse. We also know, as the man under the bridge knows, that once charges for water have come into effect, the only way they will go is up, whether that is in 2019, 2020 or 2021. The Government cannot be trusted either on the issue of privatisation. Its promises on this issue are about as trustworthy as Deputy Byrne's campaign pledges.

Some Members on the Government side of the House may be in denial regarding the scale of the opposition to water charges and Irish Water, even after last Saturday's magnificent Right2Water demonstration of unity, solidarity and determination. However, I believe the majority of those on the Government side are well aware that the Government will face ongoing mass demonstrations, ongoing protests against metering and massive non-payment of the charge. I state clearly that I will not pay the charge. The Minister, Deputy Kelly, is heading up a campaign of misinformation, intimidation and fear. That will not work. A charge is not a tax and Irish Water does not have the draconian powers given to Revenue on the property tax. Irish Water is a utility. Also, the Government cannot take hundreds of thousands of people to court in order to get attachment orders. It would be impossible to carry out such a task.

Threats will be counter-productive although there is no doubt that they may scare some people. However, I believe the only thing they will achieve will be to make people more angry, more united and more determined to smash these unjust and unfair water austerity charges.

I thank the Socialist Party for bringing this motion to the House and I will be voting in support of it.

See this speech in context