The Donegal Independent county councillor who set down a motion calling on the Government to abolish water charges says blocking water meters and other protests is not the answer.
Councillor Frank McBrearty said people must stand firm if they are serious about not paying for their water and to ht the Government where it hurts – in their pockets.
In a statement to Donegal Daily, Cllr McBrearty said Irish Water is a utility company and the reality is that when a utility company is owed money it will follow people until they recuperate what they are owed.
“The confusion and fear out there among the public in having to pay more has to stop as we can’t pay anymore and this is why I advocate that every household in Donegal not to pay their water charges as this will force the Government to abolish them.
“I am asking people to think long and hard about non payment and what it really means. If you can’t afford to pay for something you can’t pay or as some people say you can’t take blood out of a stone.
Cllr Frank McBrearty
“We must not deflect away from the boycott and in my opinion the distraction of other events such as the protests at the installation of water metres are not helping. The campaign is not about water meters or Irish Water, it is about the taxation of our natural resource of water, which belongs to us the Irish people.
“If people want to really protest then they should join me in Dublin on the 10th December with the many others that will be there. Anyone who is unsure or confused about their rights concerning water charges or have any questions why I have taken this stance can get my contact details from Donegal County Council,” he said.
The Raphoe councillor’s motion calling on Donegal County Council to pass a resolution calling on the Government to abolish water charges on Residential homes and that the Government fully commits to holding a referendum to not privatise our natural resource of water, which belongs to the Irish people received huge support.
Cllr McBrearty described it as a historic day.
“I thought long and hard about the wording of this very important Motion due to the imminent crises of water charges facing every household in Donegal in the New Year.
“The first battle we have to win in this unfair war, is the abolishment of water charges and this is why I chose the words very carefully in my motion to abolish water charges.
“Cllr Ciaran Brogan, who is the party whip for Fianna Fail, requested me to amend my motion and to insert abolish Irish Water. I had no problem with Cllr Brogan putting this to the members if he so wished.
“I objected to my motion being amended because I felt it was a deflection away from the real issue and why I requested the special meeting in the first place, which is every household in the country is facing huge bills for water in 2015.
“We, the Irish people have endured enough because of the failure of politicians and our Governments over many decades and we cannot pay anymore for their mistakes. We the people will win this campaign to abolish water charges if we all stand together and not pay them.
“If this government truly represents us, then they will abolish water charges. Local government is where democracy begins and the elected members of Donegal County Council, who have a clear mandate to represent the people of the county at local government level have spoken on behalf of the people who elected them in May of this year, and said “we want water charges abolished”.
“I believe that the public are smart enough to know that we have not got the power to abolish Irish water and that if this is to happen it can only happen at National level.”
He added that political parties should now clearly state their positions on Irish Water and where they stand on abolishing it.
“It is my firm belief that local authorities across the country should never have lost the responsibility for our water services but the reality is that Irish Water is probably here to stay and this is why I have called on the Government to not privatise what belongs to the Irish people.”
“People power is the ultimate weapon in this fight for Justice and it is a fight for Social Justice, remember Nelson Mandelas fight for freedom and the words of Martin Luther King who said “A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere”.
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