Fine Gael's fine tuned mantra and Simon Coveney adds more fuel to the fire sweeping democrarcy aside

April 10, 2017

Why are we constantly hearing Fine Gael threats of potential EU monetary sanctions over Ireland's democratic decision on water charges? Why is Fine Gael Simon Coveney holding the country to ransom with unsubstantiated arguments that this democratic decision may or may not be good enough for Brussels? Now we have Fine Gael trotting out their latest mantra of 'the county does not want elections over the water issue'.

We have two words for Fine Gael 'Established Practice' , there in black and white in the EU Water Framework Directive 2000. As Mr Coveney arrogantly says in the clip below "we don't know how many times we have to say it".

However, there is also the relevant fact that Ireland is still operating under the first River Basin Management Plan, agreed in 2010, which states that domestic water is financed through general taxation.

Just because in 2014 Fine Gael and the Labour Party, without a mandate to do so, once again tried to bring in Water Charges and railroaded legislation through the Dáil, the Irish people did not accept it. Even the cows in the field would understand that 'Water Charges' are not an 'Established Practice'.

Today on 'RTE News at One' a defiant Simon Coveney, shows off his hegemonic qualities and calls Fianna Fáil's bluff after Barry Cowen earlier threatened that Fianna Fail may not facilitate the election of a new Fine Gael leader if legislation is not forthcoming based on the Oireachtas Water Committee draft report. However, Fianna Fáil's, finance spokesperson, Michael McGrathcountered with an obvious demand

" Fine Gael concerns seem to be around the Attorney General’s legal advice on the draft report. His party would like to be shown what those concerns are and to deal with them"

Indeed the public would like to see hard facts on the table and not threats. Mr Coveney also needs to be reminded that the Fine Gael Government is only a minority one.

Source: http://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2017/0410/866645-water/

Irish Water staff get €5k bonuses as crisis deepens

April 9, 2017

- All 675 workers given 'performance-related payment'

- 11 spouses of executives also have free health insurance

- FF threatens to block election of a new FG Taoiseach

Protest: March against water charges crosses the Matt Talbot Bridge in Dublin yesterday. Photo : Colin O'Riordan

The water charges controversy dramatically escalated on two fronts yesterday as Fianna Fail threatened to block the election of a new Fine Gael Taoiseach, and new details emerged of a still-thriving bonus culture at Irish Water.

In an email to Fianna Fail TDs and senators yesterday, the party leadership warned it would not facilitate the election of a new Fine Gael Taoiseach unless the "confidence and supply" deal between both parties was honoured on water charges.

This amounts to the most overt pressure yet on Fine Gael to facilitate legislation to implement the Oireachtas water committee's recommendations on water charges. Fine Gael is now expected to increase legal pressure to torpedo the report at committee stage this week.

The dramatic escalation in the political row between both parties - in effect, a Fianna Fail threat to bring down the Government with Enda Kenny possibly still Fine Gael leader - comes as this newspaper also reveals details of lucrative bonuses paid out to Irish Water staff as recently as last month.

Irish Water suspended the bonus scheme in late 2014, following a public backlash.

But now payments over and above salary have been made to each staff member and gold-plated health insurance packages have been made available to executives and their spouses.

Car allowances and specially funded fitness instructors are also among the perks enjoyed at Irish Water.

Today's revelations are likely to reignite public disquiet at Irish Water and fuel opposition to water charges.

The bonus details emerged under the Freedom of Information Act as tensions between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have ratcheted up to an unprecedented level.

Fianna Fail's new position, a threat to oppose the election of a new Fine Gael Taoiseach, comes as the Sunday Independent reveals that just last month all 675 staff at Irish Water each received a bonus payment of almost €5,000 on average, or €3.2m in total.

On top of that, 11 senior executives each received blue chip health insurance cover for themselves and their spouses, worth more than an additional €5,000 a year.

It has also emerged that €22,328 has been spent on providing specialist fitness lessons for staff who avail of an in-house gym at Irish Water. Gym classes are said to be mandatory to comply with "health and safety regulations".

Overall, 32 Irish Water staff earn more than €100,000. A new company car, worth €41,998, was also purchased last year for the company's managing director Jerry Grant, and eight members of the senior management team also receive an annual car allowance of €10,500.

The bonus culture at Irish Water still exists even though water charges have been suspended and are on the verge of abolition.

Article abridged see full article by Mark O'Regan and Jody Corcoran: Independent.ie Apr 9 2017

Fine Gael's Simon Coveney interferes again in the Oireachtas Water Committee

April 8, 2017

Simon Coveney Fine Gael Housing Minister

Between the Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney and the EU Commission, Mr Pádraig Ó’Céidigh, chairman of the Oireachtas Water Committee was a busy man last week and walked a political tightrope, as it were. Below is a recent letter, sent by Minister Coveney to the him on Thursday evening, April 6th, 2017.

The letter was a response by the Fine Gael Government rejecting a draft report of a three month long Oireachtas Committee on Funding Domestic Water. This Committee followed in the heels of an 'Expert Water Commission' set up early last year.

Minister Coveney says in his letter that he is not attempting to "in any way seek to interfere" but urges the chairman to ensure that the "final draft report is, before adoption, subject to rigorous and fully objective legal scrutiny by a European law expert".

It is not every day one sees a Minister being interested in objectivity and rigorous scrutiny, however, when one reads the letter in full and takes everythingthat has happened for the past year, his remarks are only a ruse and in facta contradiction in terms.

This latest interference has prompted members of the Committee to complain to the Chairman. See Irish Times article 'Simon Coveney accused of issuing threats water committee'