Capping of water charges doesnt wash with mullingar says no

The much heralded reduction in water charges due to be announced later today, Wednesday, won’t wash with local campaigners.

The government is expected to announce that the charges will be capped until the end of 2018, with all households eligible for a €100 rebate. It is believed that homes with one adult will have their payments capped at €160, which will come down to €60 when the rebate is included, while homes with two or more adults will have their charges capped at €260 (€160 with rebate included).

While the Tánaiste Joan Burton says that the changes will make the unpopular charge “very affordable”, Barry Carr from Mullingar Says No To Water Charges told the Westmeath Examiner that campaigners won’t be “pacified until Irish Water is gone”.

Noting that Westmeath County Council is expected to call for the abolition of “the greatest quango in the history of the state” at their November meeting next Monday, Mr Carr says its time that the government followed the example of local authorities across the country and started “listening to the people that elected them”.

“They are trying to bribe us with the €100. We have already paid for it in taxes and now they are giving it back to us. Do they think we are stupid?”, Mr Carr said.