Brendan Ogle Reflection on Right2Water Demonstration Dublin March 21

March 24, 2015

What a wonderful day it was. A recorded attendance of 88785 citizens mobbed Dublin yet again in a technicolour carnival of peaceful noisy protest. This carnival of fighting back people is the latest demonstration of us taking our country back from the gombeens and their benefactors. Here’s some of my favourite video of the day. Firstly the amazing march from Heuston Station on O’Connell Street and then, the stunning scenes at O’Connell Street at precisely 2 o’clock – the appointed time RTE - when the three march’s collided in an explosion of noise that FG/FF/Labour even combined could only dream about in their biggest fantasy.

That there were no arrests or violence whatsoever comes as no surprise to any of us. But it is worth noting nevertheless given last week’s events in Frankfurt. We here in Ireland have the most, (per head of our 4.5m population) and the best protestors against this austerity agenda/tax anywhere. And for every one of those 88875 who turned up on the day there are many more ready to bury Irish Water and also to bring our nation into a new era of participative democracy. A change that our citizens crave. Can we do it? Bloody right we can. Just listen to this, in my view, the best address from Saturday

How many voters in the coming election will agree with the sentiments expressed here by Maeve Curtis? I would bet that the majority of our voters would agree with Maeve. Certainly more than the pathetic support in the low 20’s % even our biggest political parties get. Why do we agree with Maeve?

The only thing that can stop this movement now is itself, and the only enemy that matters are the human characteristics of internal division, borne out of ego or sectarian political interest. Both must be guarded against and over whelmed by the sheer hope and strength of the movement. I don’t think I am alone in saying as an Irish person that I am proud once again of our little country and its people. Yes our gombeen elites are an international embarrassment, our national broadcaster is in real danger of making itself irrelevant and most of the rest of the media is owned by an oligarch who made his money out of dodgy deals with the gombeens. But this golden circle is, at last, being faced with a growing and a cohesive movement that seeks real change and the opportunity for this change is just around the corner. Three things I intend to do and hope many other do too:
1) I will not pay a cent of this tax – ever. I hope none of you will either.
2) As a citizen I will argue and fight for maximum unity and a real alternative for our country for the first time in decades.
3) I will make sure I vote (I always do anyway and so should you all in my opinion) and I will make sure my vote makes a difference
Hasta la Victoria Siempre

Brendan Ogle 24 March 2015

Fine Gael/Labour Government Panic Over Non Payment Of Water Charges

March 23, 2015

The anti-water charge demonstration, organised by Ireland's national Right2Water organisation which took place in Dublin on Saturday 21st March 2015 seems to have provoked a reaction from the Irish Government. Was it the number of protestors that showed up, around 100,000, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, at the same time as the national rugby team was playing against Scotland for the glory of winning the Grand Slam, that shocked the government into a response? It would be a natural reaction to respond especially after spining a line that protests were dwindling throughout the country. In any event it is a coincidence that the Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly, gave a statement on RTE radio programme Morning Ireland on Monday 23rd March 2015 saying “we will bring in legislation to deal with people who won't pay their water charges”

He did not give a timeline as to when the legislation would be brought in or indeed what would be in the legislation. But he said that “ legislation and regulations will be brought in to ensure that everyone will be treated the same”. When he was asked by the interviewer about what penalties would be included or what the legislation timeline would be, minister Kelly said “ I won't discuss it live on air”. He then seemed to contradict his earlier statement about everyone being treated the same when he said “ there would be a distinction between those who can't pay or find it difficult to pay to those who refuse to pay”. Mr Kelly went on to say that he would be discussing the timeline of the legislation with his Cabinet colleagues tomorrow Tuesday 24th March. What form this threatened legislation will take or it's timeline we do not know but it will be interesting to see if there is any substance to the Minister's threats. If there isn't any then there will be a big question mark over the his statements. If there is substance will it be that the government will go back on it's already stated agreement that people will be given 12 months to pay, after which time there will be a late payment fee of €30 a year for a single-adult household and €60 a year for a household with 2 or more adults?

Could it be that the new legislation, if any, will include what is being bantered about on social media, i.e taking money out of wages or social welfare? An important point here is the fact that households have been given 12 months to pay water charges. Any new measures the Government brings in to combat non-payment would only come into effect after 12 months. There are strong rumours that a general election will be called within this time frame.

No matter the outcome, after today's statements the government will either be seen as dishonest and vindictive or they will be seen as introducing yet another piece of draconian legislation in response to the popularity of the anti-water charges campaign.

Mr Kelly's answer on the same radio programme in response to a question about Saturday's demonstation “ We believe people will engage with Irish Water and pay their bills” is interesting because it is very similar to one made on the very same day by Tanaiste Joan Burton on Newstalk in response to a question about the demonstration “ I accept that many people still object to charges for water on a point of principle, however, I am standing by the government's plans and people will accept them in time”. The similarity in these two separate statements would tend to support the theory that the government is rattled by Saturday's water charges demonstration. It's as if they had discussed a response over the weekend.

More PR, Spin and Number Games

Mr Kelly said on the same programme that he is happy with the level of compliance with water charges through registration with Irish Water and also said that some 1.23m people have now registered with Irish Water. He went on to say that 130,000 signed up in the past month. Are we to believe these figures? Are these numbers spin or fact? Mr Kelly admitted in the interview that the Government had reacted to mistakes made in the setting up of Irish Water. These continual blunders over the introduction of Irish Water, the government's reactions to popular discontent and the goverment's plugging of the holes in the legislation, have left a great number of Irish citizens disbelieving any figures that ministers come out with. The only way the Irish people will be convinced is through total transparity in Irish Water. If Irish Water is owned by the Irish people and it has nothing to hide then why not open their books and be completly honest. Is this being naive?

Buncrana Toghether 23 March 2015

Euston Station to O'Connell Street Section Of Right2Water Demonstration Dublin 21st March.

March 23, 2015

This is the part of the Right2Water demonstration which took place on Saturday 21st March in Dublin. Marchers assembled at 3 different locations, Euston Station, Connolly Station and Merrion Square and marched to O'Connell Street, Dublin's main thoroughfare. This is the Euston Station section alone.

Protesto contra a dupla taxa Agua em Dublin

Aline Zil