Independent candidate for the Roscommon-South Leitrim by-election, Emmett Corcoran, is calling on the people of Roscommon to boycott the payment of water charges until all water is drinkable.
Mr Corcoran says, whether people live in an affected area of the constituency or not, they should refuse to pay water charges until the quality of water throughout the entire constituency is such that it can be drunk without risking becoming ill.
“It is utterly insane that the establishment expects anyone in Roscommon to pay for water when there are parts of the developing world with better water quality. We must force our elected representatives to stand with us in a county-wide boycott,” said Mr Corcoran.
“We are having yet another regressive tax imposed on us. Even so, many people accept that if we use a service we should pay something for it. What nobody can seem to come to grips with is the fact that we are now being expected to pay for a service that we are not receiving.
“The water has been so bad for so long that we have almost given up on it ever improving. In 2014 it is inconceivable that we don’t have a safe water supply in rural Ireland. Once we pay we will be forced to endure a sub-standard service.
“I am calling on all people in affected and unaffected areas to take a stand. Let us, the people of Roscommon and Leitrim, call, text, email, and message our local representatives and force them to start representing.”
Mr Corcoran will be organising public meetings on the matter in the coming weeks.
