The refusal to introduce water charges next year is not only a “very positive development” but an “acknowledgement of the concerns that people around the country have”.
This is the view of Labour Galway city councillor Niall McNeilus, who said bringing in water charges in 2014 when people are already facing the property tax and “major increases in taxation this year and next” was too much.
Labour councillors across the State met in Gorey last weekend to call for the withholding the controversial tax. This was followed by a statement from party leader and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore that water charges will not be introduced next year.
“Given the lead in time before an effective water metering system could be rolled out, there is no justification for water taxes before 2015,” said Cllr McNeilus. “For Labour councillors this is a very positive development.”
While the news has been welcomed by the public, many feel the decision had as much to do with ensuring that a massively unpopular tax on an already over-stretched public was not introduced in the year of the next local elections.
Cllr McNeilus did point out that a long standing commitment to link water charges to consumption levels, as required by EU law, already exists, but that Labour believes there should also be a free basic allocation per household, above which people should only then be charged.
“Our current problem has arisen largely as a result of massive under-investment in water infrastructure during the Celtic Tiger,” he said. “That was precisely when funds should have been allocated to improve supply and replacement of damaged water distribution infrastructure but it never happened.”
