TWO WEEKS FROM today, the Right2Water group is holding the first of a series of conferences to politicise the movement.
Ahead of the conference, Right2Water have put together an policy document to lay out their position on a range of issues.
The group says the document is “not exhaustive and should be expanded upon”.
They are seeking input from the public ahead of a deadline set for Tuesday 2 June.
What does the document say?
Water
The group document says Irish Water should be abolished within 100 days of a government taking office.
Instead, they want “a single national water and sanitation board” that is protected by the constitution. As such, their platform includes a referendum to enshrine in the constitution that the provision of water is the responsibility of government.
Right2Water also want investment of between €6 billion and €7 billion in the water infrastructure. This should be funded through “a progressive taxation model”, details of which they say will be published on the day of the conference on 13 June.
Jobs
Right2Water say they would introduce a Decent Work Act.
This would seek to strengthen workers’ contracts and “eliminate precarious employment”. It would also seek to “provide under-employed workers with the right to seek additional hours in their workplace when they become available”.
Right2Water says that a medium-term goal should be to make the living wage the statutory floor when calculating the national minimum wage.
Housing
The document argues that rent control should be introduced in the short-term.
In the longer-term, Right2Water is arguing for the provision of, “income-related rental accommodation to low and average income earners.”
They also want a national home building project and a programme to allow people own their own homes through “limited equity ownership”.
Other issues
Right2Water also want any future government to built alliances with other anti-austerity parties in Europe to promote “responsible debt reduction strategies for people across Europe”.
On education, the group says that education should be “truly free, without the necessity for ‘voluntary contributions’, up to at least primary degree level.
They are also seeking more funding for apprenticeships and a jobs policy that promotes “labour intensive industries”.
On political reform, Right2Water says an election every five years “provides too large a gap for real democratic representation.” They want citizens to be able to recall TDs before the end of each Dáil.
A number of submissions from the public have already been received by Right2Water and can be read alongside the policy document.
Right2Water has said that it will endorse candidates in next general election but has stopped short of saying right now that it will run candidates.
A group of anti-water-charge politicians also recently released a joint statement calling for nationwide activists to meet ahead of the conferences.
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