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Updated 4 November 2014
SINN FÉIN PRESIDENT Gerry Adams has decided not to pay the water charges on his holiday home in Donegal, saying he is doing so “as a mark of solidarity” with “hard pressed citizens”.
Adams made the remarks in a statement issued this afternoon saying that Sinn Féin “is standing firmly with those families and hard pressed citizens who very simply cannot pay the Government’s water tax”.
His comments are a reversal of his original intention to pay the charge and follow Mary Lou McDonald and Pearse Doherty confirming in the last 24 hours that they also will NOT pay having previously said they would.
“As a mark of solidarity, I have decided that I will not pay this Government’s Water Tax,” Adams said.
A Sinn Féin spokesperson confirmed that Adams was referring to his holiday home in Donegal for which he is liable for water charges. The Louth TD said as recently as 13 October that he would be paying his Irish Water bill.
Sinn Féin has previously said that the Louth TD “stays with a friend” while in his constituency.
But the party would not say whether or not this friend will be paying his charges. ”That’s his business,” a spokesperson said.
Adams’s decision to not comply with Irish Water makes him the seventh Sinn Féin Oireachtas member to confirm they will not pay after deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald also stated yesterday that she had changed her mind and would not be paying.
The party’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty confirmed on Highland Radio earlier today that he also will not pay.
TDs Dessie Ellis, Martin Ferris, Padraig MacLochlainn and senator David Cullinane have also confirmed they will not pay.
In his statement today, Adams added: “It is clear that the Taoiseach has totally underestimated the level of public anger at the imposition of domestic water charges and the determination that now exists to defeat them.
“Citizens, sick to the teeth of relentless austerity, with one new tax and charge after another, spoke loudly and clearly across this State, and in every county, on Saturday. Their message was crystal clear – they will not accept the Water Tax.”
Sinn Féin intends to introduce a bill in the Dáil this week calling for a referendum to retain control of the country’s water supply in public ownership – an idea originally put forward by the Green Party and which Fianna Fáil also supports.
Earlier, Environment Minister Alan Kelly would not rule out the possibility of a referendum being held.
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Brilliant news! Time the rest of SF did the same…..
I guess Inda responding to the biggest mobilisation of people power in the history of our state by threatening us with a €426 fine for our disobedience has significantly moved the goalposts in a lot of minds.
Do your worst Kenny, it will just bring even more out on our streets.
SF have nothing to do with this.
Passengers at least.
Hugh o Connell
Many people commenting here know that one person, Patrick lyons has multiple accounts open to comment on stories like these.
David Burke, mcbride, shinnerbot, charles rex etc are just some f the names he uses. this is obvious to commentators here. I believe that it is obvious to juornal staff.
there are people who believe that the journal is playing games in the comments section. There are those who believe that p lyons and all his pseudonyms emanate from the journal.
It’s ridiculous that one guy can have ten comments on the same thread. So it’s time for te journal to either do something about it or own up.
I would ask all genuine commentators here to question the ethics and politics of journal staff.
A shame that people can’t see naked political opportunism in its most explicit form.
they,ve seen it since the foundation of the state with fg/ff/lab
@ SarsfieldsAlive
The multiple fake accounts singing from the same hymn sheet aren’t thejournal, its this lot…..
So the sinn fein ‘on-line supporters’ that sf are advertising for, do what?
were jammin
The fact that the journal knows it’s going on means that the journal are complicit. iP address bans are the way to go but it’s easy to get around this as well.
SarsfieldsAlive and Werejammin are right. People here should not hide behind annonymous accounts, especially when they blatantly support one party.
I can honestly say this is my one and only account. People already know I’m a Unionist poster so don’t be too shocked by my anti-republican stance. I said nothing so far in regard to water charges because they don’t apply to me for starters, my comments about other events are completely justified, im allowed an opinion too you know and if there’s threads here relating to NI then I’ll be having that opinion. It’s a free country.
SarsfieldsAlive – are you alleging that someone has multiple accounts? You must be desperate. What about the old Shinner/IRA instruction ” Vote early and vote often”
Add patrick bateman to my earlier comment
they even green thumb each other ffs
So basically every person that says anything against SF is really the one person operating a heap of different accounts. I think you are seriously deluded to the point that you need help.
How do we green thumb each other of its all the one person, surely it would be the one person green thumbing themselves.
Another populist u turn by Gerry
Welcome Adrian to the ‘free state’ where you pay for everyrhing, don’t let anyone tell you that a united ireland would be a good thing for everyone here…..it wouldn’t be.
Not disagreeing with you Dermot – but it does add weight to the campaign – I would say that at least Mr. Adams is not claiming extra mileage from Donegal – and nor does he own a large country pile down the country – well not this country at any rate !
Adrian McBride, isn that your conclusion? Have another go, but first have another read.
Conclusion to what?
Chris it’s not right that you must pay for everything down there, nobody should have to pay for water but it’ll come in up here too in the not so distant future. I won’t be paying for it though.
No ask him ” Now where does the money come from Gerry since you are not paying ?”
That’s the difference between a talker and a doer !
If not you Adrian then someone else will be paying for it, nothing is free anymore. Soon you will be paying to march the Queens highway on the twelfth…….
I don’t march, do all you people down there think just because a person is a Unionist they must march on the twelfth? In that case the OO must have a huge membership.
It’s not doing them any harm in the polls Dermot!
David Conroy, we already pay, we won’t pay twice!
It’s a no-brainer Jop !
Sarsfield that’s the most insane post I’ve read here in a long time.
Sarsfield – what makes you think that one individual has multiple accounts – don’t you believe that multiple people can have an opinion that’s different to your own?
Adrian, I thought you were paying for water, just from a different budget; one note specifically headed “Water Charges”.
No I don’t pay for water.
Now’s your time Gerry …..call for a national boycott of this ‘thirst and basic hygiene tax’ from all supporters of SF and hard pressed citizens……
Irish water doesn’t just belong to this generation it must be protected as a basic necessity for all.
I think SF need to thread carefully on this. There’s a lot out there that are so anti Sinn Fein that by publicly backing this they could actually mobilise the anti SF folks.
Ted
That is already happening, just read some of the comment’s here.
This is one of the issues that crosses all parties, age groups and race’s…..any support from every corner has to be welcomed…..
Wouldn’t it really suit the government if this remained a defined party issue……independent’s against everyone else including the unions
Please don’t get in the band wagon
Nugget off!
Apologies
Bugger Off
It was reported on that lunchtime news that the government may go down the same route as the collection of the property tax. i.e, through the revenue commissioners. Not sure how they would make this work. If that happens then we must force them to call a general election. Good news that Sinn Fein are on board, the more people we can get on the marches the better.
They can feck off!
Fully agree pontius
PP, It is YOU that is in the way – you’re trying to divide the people on this issue. The left needs unity on this, not anti Sinn Féin crackpots doing the governments work.
Look, stay out of this til we ALL have defeated Irish water – then come back with as much dopey drivel as you want..
The Revenue should have been involved from Day 1. The freeloaders will have no choice but to pay up when it’s collected directly from their pay packet. All this protest rent-a-mob nonsense will die away fairly quickly when they have to face the Revenue..
Hey Pontius Pilatus, you’re not speaking for me, so less of the “WE” bullshit. You may have got 100,000 on the streets ( or 2 million according to you as you admitted you got into a strop about RTE putting their own estimate of numbers and not your biased estimate ). There are hundreds of thousands of people in this country who have to pay into the tax fund for water and sewage service for the likes of you but then have to pay for their own wells and septic tanks. I bet there are many more people who would rather pay for a service at source and according to usage rather than see tax increases. And there are the sane and rational who recognise that being one of the last developed countries without water charges is unsustainable and don’t want to see further cuts in public services to keep you in free water. So less of your “WE are united bullshit” just because those who are not in your rent-a-mob are not marching the streets and disrupting businesses.
Revenue cannot collect bills for a private company.
Do try to keep up….
Who is to know that IW will remain as constituted? I don’t care what guise it is in as long as you are made to pay up for water, Mr. Jammin. Tax credit will be administered by Revenue, government (which I sure as hell don’t “shill” for) might give the rent-a-mob a Pyrrhic victory and disband IW and replace it with a public body which , with the Revenue, will have the power to force your freeloading ass to pay up.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/water-tax-credit-may-be-tagged-to-wages-1.1981270
“I don’t care what guise it is in as long as you are made to pay up for water, Mr. Jammin.”
I already pay to the tune of 2% of my VAT and 5% of my motor tax.
Like I said, do try to keep up…..
So where’s my free water, Mr. Jammin? It’s easy to know that you’re a Sinn Féin/IRA apologist because like some atrocities from the Troubles must be remembered and others must be forgotten, some people (like you) have a ‘right’ to free water and others ( like me) don’t have any ‘right’ to it. Perfect Sinn Féin/IRA double standards consistent inconsistency.
Keep spouting your nonsense. You fool nobody.
Nor do your demigods, Kenny and Noonan.
People (not Rent-A-Mob as you’d love to have people believe) have taken to the streets, in appalling conditions, to state unequivocally that they will not pay this odious charge.
At the first hint that this corrupt government intends to amend legislation to allow Revenue to pillage people’s pay packets, those same people will throw Kenny, Noonan (and quite probably you) out of their cosseted jobs.
So enjoy it while you can. The countdown has begun.
As I said, I don’t particularly care who forms the next government as long as your ‘heroes’ in Sinn Féin/IRA are not part of it. The rent-a-mob are not “the people” as they claim to be because 95% of this country did not march with the rent-a-mob. I don’t care one whit about Kenny and Noonan but I want to see freeloaders paying up and if the Revenue get involved they’ll have no choice but to. And you can march up and down O’Connell St. every day of the year and you still won’t be able to do a thing about it.
You don’t care who forms the next government as long as it’s Fianna fail or Fianna Gael? Well you wouldn’t, would you? Some people are quite happy nibbling at the crumbs that fall from their masters table.
And when exactly did I say that I supported Sinn Fein? I oppose Fianna Fail/Fianna Gael/Labour, and make no bones about it. This does not, by extension, mean that I support Sinn Fein.
Your denial of the huge turnout by the people of this country is as ridiculous as those of the climate change deniers.
You’re in good company.
Your assertion that these marches are achieving nothing merely exposes your ignorance of the obvious. Kenny and his cohorts have been back pedaling since the last march. They talk about reviewing the structure of Irish Water, they apologise about the lack of clarity, they pledge to reduce the fees, etc. Bullshit, all of it. Nevertheless, they are spooked. The see that the writing is on the wall. Something that you are incapable of doing.
So you continue with your right wing comments. Continue your attempt to denigrate the legitimate protests of the people of Ireland, with your risible ‘rent-a-mob’ claims.
You are like ‘Comical Ali’ in the Iraq War, being interviewed atop a building in central Bagdad, amidst bomb strike after bomb strike, saying to the interviewer, ‘What invasion?’
You are *that* ridiculous. You just don’t see it.
But everyone else does.
I hope not Brian, the Revenue are already on a witch-hunt looking for anyone who they think might own something……next they will be sending in bailiffs to take anything of value. The Revenue is the most profitable business in the state but haven’t a clue how to turn profit into wealth.
Don’t talk rubbish, the Revenue can take over a private company and bleed it dry.
Somniac, when you resort to making things up that I never said and using your leftie rhetoric at these works of fiction it shows you how intellectually bankrupt you (and your idealogy, if you understand what your idealogy is because I don’t think you do) really are.
We want to hear that SF will get rid of the Quango if the get elected.. if not they won’t get my vote .. but I am glad that they are supporting the protests…..
Tim,
They (Mary Lou) said yesterday that they supported the utility.
Wow, a red thumb for STATING A FACT. She said it on twip (it was even on the rerun!)
Gerry Adams stands in solidarity with all holiday home owners in the 26 counties.
Tim, they already said a long time ago that they would close IW down if elected, but in the meantime would not try to influence the public to pay or not to pay.
Tim I think that a company called Irish water in some shape or form is here to stay as all the local authorities have transferred over their staff. However the company as it stands it nothing short of a rotten quango with thousands of additional employees than is needed, as well as bonuses for simply doing your job headed by that imbecile Tierney!
Up to last week I thought it was inevitable that water charges were going to be payed by the majority and I was going to pay the charge. However seeing the carry on of Irish Water and the government lately, as well as the unbelieveable crowds that gathered in atrocious conditions in every county at the weekend, has meant I will now not pay and I truly believe we can win this battle.
Did Sinn Féin/IRA get rid of any quangos since they became administrators of Her Majesty’s British government in the (fully recognised by Sinn Féin/IRA) statelet of Northern Ireland? Genuine question.
A bit rich considering you shill for the party which just set up the biggest superquango in the history of the state, irish water.
I “shill” for no party, Mr. Jammin. I’m standing up for my right as a taxpayer against freeloaders who expect services as ‘rights’ but which I have never received and never will. So no quangos abolished by Her Majesty’s British government in Northern Ireland other wise known as Sinn Féin/IRA then?
Some people are really getting annoyed at the rise in popularity for SF. They’ll go to any lengths to discredit and smear, but they’re only pissing against the wind. This country is ready for a change.
Pádraic
She said they support the utility. That’s a fact. She said it on live TV on Sunday. Supporting the utility means keeping Irish Water in place.
mud sling Gerry and SF all you want. Most popular party in the state.
And oh what a state.
the free state certainly is in an awful state.
Don’t worry, SF will have it looking good soon.
Exactly Martin, the most populist party all right !
I’d prefer if he would answer the questions he has been asked continually but refuses to answer.
Hard to believe a quarter of the country wants this spoofer as Taoiseach.
But then again with his promise that the mythical rich will pay for everything it’s easy enough to see how the foolish are being bought b
Alan. You really cannot call anyone a spoofer. Gerry may be a spoofer but by god you talk some bs on here
@Alan, what do you expect with the way the troika of FG/LAB/FF have treated the citizens of this country. People are starting to play politics with the politicians. Parties are now been seen for the redundant, self-serving parasites that they are
I’m sure everyone in the FGHQ fraperoom would prefer if Adams avoided the subject of Irish Water altogether, but this is not RTE, he won’t be censored or talked over.
The Troika? You mean the people who lent us money when no one else would and had the cheek to ask that maybe we live within our means? Which we’re still not doing by the way.
Horrible shower. They should have let us default. Then we could have really shown them.
The political debate on here rarely rises above the level of the kindergarten. No understanding of economics or politics and name calling as standard.
But sure it makes no difference. Because if/when the Shinners are elected I shall simply refuse to pay my taxes because I don’t want to. Because that’s apparently the way it works now. They can ask the mythical rich to pay my share while at the same time f&€@ing off and leaving me alone.
It’ll be great.
@WJ, seen that this morning, Fox news would have been proud
‘With one new tax and charge after another”
Have you read your own budget proposals Gerry?
Not short on new taxes and charges.
Hypocrisy anyone?
We’ll be alright though Alan, as Gerry only plans to tax the rich…..until such time that he realises that (on its own) doesn’t work! The IMF will be back in town before we know it!
Any Sinn Fein member with half a brain should be able to see that gerry Adams is holding that party back
Taoiseach Adams will not introduce any taxes we don’t like.
@ niall: “Any Sinn Fein member with half a brain should be able to see that gerry Adams is holding that party back”
Being hearing that since SF were at 2%, they’re now polling as the biggest party, and thats according to the sindo!
So Sinn Fein, a party who hopes to be in govenment in the not too distant future will have no problem when people decide to boycott new taxes/charges they plan to introduce when in government?
What a crowd of bandwagon jumpers they are!
sinn fein have always been against water charges so hardly jumping on the bandwagon
Good. Not Paying copper-fastens Sinn Feins long standing position of Opposing the water charges/ tax.
This is one tax too many and people have had enough.
If People refuse by their hundreds of thousands to register and pay, the system wont be able to handle the paperwork , let alone the court cases that may or may not follow due to non payment.
Seeing TD’s and elected officials committing to not registering / paying is good to see.
Standing in solidarity with those who absolutely cannot pay and those who wont pay on principle, is the only place for any true representative of the people.
Hey Sean Feic, if the Revenue get involved the rent-a-mob will have no choice but to pay as it will be deducted from every freeloader’s pay packet. G’wan the Revenue.
A perfect opportunity for the authorities to reunite him with his brother.
It couldn’t be anything to do with the march with over 120,000 people that helped Sinn Fein belatedly decide their position on this straightforward idea, could it be?
The AAA are a bit loonie, but they’re principled at least.
I doubt it considering they held their position following the previous march with 100,000, and still hold the same position, that it is up to individuals to decide.
Yes, I think they were a bit slow of the mark on this and are now trying to get ahead of the pack again. That’s what comes from trying to please everyone, you end up being seen as indecisive. Even yet, Mary Lou is standing with the ones that pay and with the ones that don’t. Now that’s populist if ever I heard it. Give us the principled leadership we were promised – not wishy washy, watery politics.
White rem and Larry, Sinn Féin already said a long time ago that they would close IW down if elected, but in the meantime would not try to influence the public to pay or not to pay. What the hell is wrong with that??
Ha ha ha
Really. Gerry changed his mind. I’m flabbergasted.
Who gives a damn what that idiot is or isn’t going to do. Listening to him on Morning Ireland this morning he’s yesterday’s man.
Paul Murphy gets elected on the water issue at SF expense & suddenly SF change their tune. Shock shock.
Changed their minds from opposing the charge but its up to individuals to decide for themselves to their new position of opposing the charge but its up to individuals to decide for themselves?
Yep, some change there.
And you trust people to let you govern with backsliding like this?
This is about one thing and one thing only. The Shinners learned in the Dublin South West by election that they’re not the only opposition. Independents and others are not going away.
Get your core vote out in force, which you’ve never done before, or the polls won’t mean a thing.
What an arrogant Liar— he speaks with forked tongue. First he said he would pay now he says he will pay. First he said he knew nothing aboutMaria Cahill now he says she was raped and he told her to go the RUC.
He certainly did not go to the RUC when he found out about his brother raping his niece. He kept that stum for many years.
now he says he does not live in the constituency he is supposed to represent—- It make my blood curl when I him on the radio or on TV
How many others can afford a holiday home on the average industrial wage
Of course he won’t pay. He’s a criminal and a terrorist.
Perhaps he has a septic tank that needs clearing out.
I will not believe it till Gerry Adam is in jail for water non payment!
AAAnd around we go, heel to the toe, Yip i love a good political U turn jig
He can easily afford it. 1million in expenses claimed for a seat he never sat in. Was at one point a few years ago running 4 households (in Donegal, Belfast, Louth & London)….and all on the average industrial wage? ^^ He’s a wizard.
Adam the person on the average industrial wage has not wrote nearly 20 books. Heres a link to all his books just in case you want to contribute to his royalties.
http://www.amazon.com/Gerry-Adams/e/B000APECW2
Did he announce this via a made up name on a social media site by any chance?
Ok in general I have no problem with SF. But in this instance can we pull over the band wagon for a second and push SF off. Also refuse entry to grandstand.
We all heard you’re reply on water charges last week Jerry.
Oul Gerry is in trouble with the law all the time so why chance.
A feel a Chtisty Moore and a bandwagon song commin’…..
“I’m an ordinary man
I sing & play for twenty grand”
According to the Chinese Calendar; 2016 is the year of the Monkey. After reading this article I’m inclined to agree.
He’s a Louth TD with an address in the north of the county. Is he paying for water on that house,or not? Also,how many houses does he own? Is the Donegal one the only one he won’t pay the water charge on?
I’m pretty sure he has admitted that he stays with a friend when in Louth, so no he doesn’t own a property in Louth. The house in Donegal then being the only property he is liable for in the State.
So when Gerry is Taoiseach he’ll be cool with us all just deciding not to pay any taxes or bills? I might start to warm to this guy.
I sense another dirty protest by Sinn Fein when their water is reduced to a trickle.
Solidarity? Must Google that later and find the meaning. In the meantime I’ll be looking after number one like everybody else.
Good move Gerry Adams and Team Sinn Fein-
Perhaps he has a septic tank that needs clearing out.
And next week’s u-turn will be…….?
Sinn Fein are a reincarnation of Bertie Ahern’s Fianna Fail.
Changing their mind is a good thing isn’t it?
About bloody time that SF woke up to the fact that the Irish People are incredibly p’ed off with this shower and will not pay any more stealth taxes. Took em long enough
Sure the rest of us will pay your bill for you, Gerry. You can hardly afford it, in fairness, what with spending so much on stretched petrol while you’re out looking for the disappeared.
How old are you? 12?
If I was twelve, some of the people Gerry Adams was so anxious to protect would like me a lot.
I joined a private water scheme when I built my house. I had to pay 5000 for a treatment system for my sewage. Can anyone here tell me why the f*ck my tax money should be going to pay for everyone else’s water and sewage treatment?
You also have to pay for water for anyone who operates in the black economy. It’s the law.
I fail to see what business it is of the journal weather his friends pays his charge or not? – It’s not Gerry house it’s not his responsibility to pay the charge there. What his friends do is their business just like it’s our business if we pay or not ( I’m not paying btw just making an observation)
FG’s Damien english was on Primetime last night and he twice said ‘ People won’t be paying twice for water’, but acknowledged we already pay for it through general taxation.
Now maths was never my strongest subject but, when the bills start coming through peoples’ letterboxes at the end of January, we will be paying twice for water!
By The time tomorrow comes around Gerry will deny he ever said that
Who cares?
I won’t be paying a penny for water in my holiday home either. Mainly down to the fact that I don’t have one. Actually, completely down to the fact I don’t have one.
You’re not ‘a good republican’ then?
Fhhhjnb
Fu….g idiot .
Not many people have holiday homes, I wonder where Jarry got the money for it.
have your say