Updated Monday, 3 November 2014
LAST WEEK THEJOURNAL.IE contacted 225 Oireachtas members to see who intends on paying water charges – and who doesn’t.
Of the 171 politicians who responded, 17 told us they would refuse to pay their bill. Mary Lou McDonald, Pearse Doherty and Gerry Adams have subsequently said they will NOT pay, bringing to 20 the number of elected representatives refusing to comply.
The following TDs, and one senator, belong in the ‘no’ camp:
Some of them elaborated on their decision. Here’s what they said:
Tommy Broughan wants Irish Water to be abolished and for local authorities to re-take control of water services.
I’ve always been opposed to water charges, I walked out of the Dáil when the Bill went through.
The water tax is the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Richard Boyd Barrett
The level of non-cooperation and non-engagement with Irish Water shows that the Government should just give up now.
Dessie Ellis
I’ve made it clear I won’t be paying them, but I’m leaving it up to others to make their own decision.
I can well afford to pay water charges, but in solidarity with those who can’t, I will not be paying them.
I think it’s an unjust charge. Irish Water will eventually be privatised, the way it’s been set up is appalling.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
I’m not paying, but I nor Sinn Féin are advocating a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ stance as it is an issue of personal choice and reflecting personal circumstances.I will stand with families regardless of their position on payment/non-payment.
Catherine Murphy
I am not opposed to a conservation approach to water charging; i.e. everyone gets a free allowance sufficient for cooking or hygiene, using the average consumption figures from other countries, and over and above that excess could be charged for.
I also don’t believe a big quango is required.
Senator Marie Louise O’Donnell
It’s a tough question to answer. Unless it’s enshrined in the Constitution that it won’t be privatised – then, under the current loose legislation, it’s a ‘No’. Though I do believe water must be paid for.
The following politicians don’t know if they will pay the charges or not:
Seán Fleming is one of the deputies on the fence, telling us:
I’ll wait and see … maybe water charges will be dropped before a bill arrives.
Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames is also undecided:
Irish Water needs to be disbanded and the Government needs to start again. It’s a complete mess.The Government needs to make up its mind whether its goal is water conservation or collection of a tax. You can only have conservation when everyone has a meter so that is not working.There is no public confidence in Irish Water. From what I hear and see, I expect there will be a protest of mass civil disobedience against payment and I’m talking from rural Ireland too, not just urban Ireland.
Maureen O’Sullivan
[The Government] should put the whole thing on hold until there’s a fairer deal, but also, in principle, I have a problem with the way water has become a profit-making commodity.I wouldn’t encourage people to break the law and the legality involved is really the only reason I would even consider paying the charges.
Independent Senator Gerard Craughwell said that while he intends on registering for water charges, he will refuse to share his PPS number. Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea did not repsond to our survey but recently said he would also not be giving his PPS number to Irish Water.
Craughwell added:
I would support a referendum on the ownership of Irish Water as I have a real fear that it will be privatised.
123 of the 169 politicians who responded to the survey said that they intend to pay.
Some 24 TDs and Senators said that they are not eligible to pay the charges as they have private wells or are on group water schemes.
The following members of the Oireachtas, including Environment Minister Alan Kelly, did not respond to the poll:
Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe told us that he didn’t want to share whether or not he’d be paying water charges in case it influenced others to follow his lead.
*Senator Jimmy Harte is currently recovering from a head injury incurred during a fall last year.
Additional reporting: Hugh O’Connell and Dan Mac Guill
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