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THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE marched through the streets of Dublin today calling for the abolition of water charges.
Protesters marched in two separate groups from Heuston and Connolly stations before meeting at St Stephen’s Green where speeches were held.
The action got underway at about 2pm, with thousands travelling into the city centre to take part in the action.
People also marched on the headquarters of international technology firm Apple, in protest over the government’s decision to appeal the European Commission ruling for the company to pay €13 billion it says it owes in taxes.
Right2Water put the numbers at today’s march in the region of 80,000, while RTÉ reports sources saying that about 15,000 people turned out.
The protesters were marching for the abolition of water charges, which are currently suspended.
A commission has been set up to address the issue in the wake of the general election and has been accepting submissions on how water services should be paid for.
Right2Water, an umbrella group made up of unions, left-wing political parties and community organisations, has been holding anti-charges rallies since late 2014.
Addressing a press conference earlier this week, organiser Brendan Ogle said there was a “wrong perception” that, as water charges had been suspended, the issue had gone away – adding that “we don’t see it like that at all”.
Ogle also mentioned the anger people had over the government’s decision to appeal the European Commission’s ruling that Ireland granted the Apple €13 billion in illegal state aid.
People Before Profit / TwitterThe banks got bailed out, we got sold out! No way we won't pay! #Right2Water #watercharges @JohnLyonsPBPA pic.twitter.com/N441ad02wk
— People Before Profit (@pb4p) September 17, 2016
There was “a lot of anger” over the decision. Ogle said, insisting the issue had “connected with people that I’ve met in a way that I haven’t heard or read about in the media”.
Sinn Féin and the AAA-PBP, which are also part of Right2Water, submitted Dáil motions calling for the government to drop its appeal against the Commission ruling last week, but both were rejected by the chamber.
Speaking at the demonstration today, Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan said abolition of water charges was “the loud, clear and unequivocal demand of the Irish people”.
“We have had eight marches in two years and we have delivered blow after blow to Irish Water and its supporters,” said. Boylan.
“The pillars of the establishment have lined up to smother this movement and protect the water charges regime.”
Yet here we are again – undaunted, energised and continuing the fight for the right to water.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
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Poor, pandering decision and should have never been pushed into the media spotlight.
I fully appreciate that these people live there, however with the publicity this has had you can expect the canal to be lined with these barges and then enforcement will be required.
You either turn a blind eye or enforce the rules. In this case they have done the worst possible thing, highlighted that you can get away with this and the fact that they’re not willing to stop it.
They should have left well alone!
@Joe: temporarily this will be good for the people who live on these which is great. But I think their evictions are now inevitable in the longer term unfortunately!
@Joe: I’m trying to understand your rationale. Do you have an issue with this decision or with these people living on the canal in barges. If someone faced with or already coping with homelessness can somehow get their hands on a barge, which seems unlikely to me, good luck to them, that sorts out that person.
I can see your point about the media attention maybe kicking this particular can down the road for a while. We’ll see. However, as I said before houseboats are used commonly in other European countries and are a cheap way og getting people off the streets. If we’re serious about addressing the homeless issue then we have to accept novel idea that are a little ‘outside the box’. We’re not going to be handed thousands of houses some day by the housing faerie so it’s things like this or accept the situation getting worse. Your choice.
@Joe: they should be evicted as they aren’t paying mooring fees which should be very expensive for prime spots in Dublin. I am all for options but pay appropriately
@Arch Angel: they are heavily regulated in other countries and you would not be allowed do what these people do. There are no facilities for them there.
@Arch Angel: what i’m saying is that they probably should have left them there and said nothing.
However once they served them with eviction notices they should have followed through. They have now created a situation where the whole country knows that if you park your barge where you’re not meant to nothing will be done about it. This means that an issue, which wasn’t really an issue could become one as this decision will encourage people to do the same.
If this is to be a long term solution for more people fine, but only in areas with the appropriate facilities!
@Craic_a_tower: that’s true all over Europe prople live on barges and pay for mooring and services.
@Craic_a_tower: There could be facilities. People taking the initiative to house themselves is a good thing.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: there are no facilities. They’re beside a road in the city centre!
@Arch Angel: These are not being used to help with the homeless crisis…and let them pay the market value everyone else invested into living near the canal!
@Craic_a_tower: What are you talking about? Of course they pay mooring fees – it’s fools like you who perpetrate lies. Have you any idea how much it costs to maintain the upkeep of a boat (any boat)? It’s relative to the cost of maintaining a house with facilities. There’s a beauty and understanding of nature which goes with living on a boat, please take your ill-informed opinions elsewhere.
I’ve sailed since I was a child and I’ve lived on boats around the world and every marina mooring/ jetty fee is always paid because it’s part of the pleasure of living on a boat and availing of the facilities wherever one is. Do you really think that people who live in houseboats just park up and pay for nothing?
@B:As per my comment below, you haven’t a clue of the fees associated with owning a boat – judging by your comments, you probably can’t even swim. Don’t be mean-spirited all your life because it’s too short.
@Joe: Thats an interesting point of view you have… but there is no evidence whatsoever to say that the canal will ever become “lined” with barges.
The fact is that Waterways Ireland were given ownership of hundreds of kilometers of a defunct transport network and seem to be determined to keep the waterways as such. There are limited residential moorings nationwide and no plans to improve facilities. Liveaboard boating is well practiced in europe and the UK and people should not be penalised for their refusal to be pigeonholed into the narrow set socially acceptable housing models we are presented with in Ireland.
Waterways Ireland do need to work on their image in fairness to them.
Hows that homeless guy with lifechanging injuries getting on anyway.
@Fergal_Carlow: Regardless of who he is, he was still severely injured because a waterways Ireland employee couldn’t be arsed to check if the tent was empty. He could have been Irish, it just so happens he wasn’t.
@Owen Flynn: it was DCC wasn’t it?
@Fergal_Carlow: That’s a pretty pathetic comment and speaks volumes about you as a person. Regardless of who the guy is he deserves to be treated like a human being.
Go Malcolm!
Always a great councillor here in Kilkenny!
The management of this is so out of touch and act with power of our móney to deceive even the courts I know
This is not good for the community. 10 barges on the canal is not going to solve any housing issue (and some folks are just using this as a party boat or Airbnb)…someone is greasing the pockets of someone else to get this moving forward. There needs to be an investigation of the whole process. People paid SIGNIFICANT €€€ to have a place near the canal and that didn’t include party boats. Other cities have MUCH larger canal space than Dublin. How would folks like it if a mobile home trailer park was opened up in your back yard? The canal is unsanitary as it is and this will just add to the mess! These need removed now!
I hope his Instagram handle is Gary Longboat
Regretful not acknowledging a mistake and trying to excuse themselves by naming a bye-law is despicable from a public service body.
Since the 13 March, there are restrictions in movement. The evictions ban was extended to 20 July and likely will be extended again today or early next week.
Some people seems to live in a parallel World. Totally disconnected of the reality, the many stories behind the homelessness crisis, Humanitarian Disaster before the pandemic
While the government is juggling in contain an unprecedented homelessness tsunami … here it comes, a brutal eviction with crane, after the recent incident with an illiterate homessless man, losing his limbs and fighting for his life ……
Very frightening the actions of this authority and unlawful
I am sorry but the new Minister has fallen short in this matter
Those people deserve a public apology
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