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WITH THE REFERENDUM and various other political developments in recent weeks, Irish Water has fallen off the agenda somewhat but - as we reported this week - it hasn’t gone away completely.
In recent months, we’ve explored the Sinn Féin and Socialist alternatives to the government’s hugely controversial Irish Water and charging model.
But what about Fianna Fáil?
The party’s environment spokesperson Barry Cowen has been arguably the most effective opposition TD when it comes to the water debacle.
He has forensically poured over the issue and exposed some of the most controversial elements of the utility’s establishment and running costs. When he came into TheJournal.ie earlier this week, we asked him to outline his party’s alternative to Irish Water and water charges.
So, would Fianna Fáil abolish Irish Water if in government?
Yes.
Is it a red line issue for the party if was to go into government?
It is, according to Cowen.
We opposed it vehemently since its inception and the manner in which it was put together, the vehicle that has become Irish Water, the vast waste and cost associated with getting it to the stage it’s at. We felt there was a system in place that could adequately deliver a service if adequately funded anyhow.
How would it be scrapped?
Unike Sinn Féin and the Socialists, the party is not planning to immediately scrap the entity. It would be gradually wound down and all existing contractual commitments undertaken by Irish Water would be maintained.
For example, the call centre staff at Abtran, who are contracted until 2018, would have those contracts honoured while all metering commitments would also be honoured. Cowen said it would take around two to three years to phase out Irish Water.
He also said there would be redundancies as part of the party’s plans:
What happens then?
Fianna Fáil proposes to give the responsibility for water provision back to local authorities. Cowen believes the perception was given that councils were doing a bad job of it and argued there was no scientific evidence to back that up. On the high level of leakages across the country, he said that’s more an issue of funding than management.
So, under Fianna Fáil, it’s back to exactly the way it was?
Not exactly. Cowen said that you would abolish Irish Water but establish an over-arching national body to oversee the implementation of a plan to fix water infrastructure across the country.
He compares it to the National Roads Authority and says it would need a staff of around 100. This ‘National Water Authority’ would implement a national water infrastructure directive in way similar to what the NRA does with roads.
Cowen explained that it would be “prioritising development throughout the country rather than what you had before where local authorities prioritised within their own authorities”.
He said this would “cost far less” than the Irish Water model but wasn’t specific on exactly how much it would save.
Didn’t the government say that abolishing Irish Water would cost €900 million?
Yes, but Cowen disputed this. He explained why in this clip:
So, am I paying water charges under the Fianna Fáil plan?
No. Cowen says that once Irish Water is abolished, there will be no charges.
Will I get back what I have already paid?
No. Cowen indicated this wouldn’t happen.
Will I have to pay water charges eventually?
Yes. Cowen explained:
You bring about a system that is eventually fit for purpose and then you can expect people to make a contribution.
When?
“Seven, eight, ten years down the road,” said Cowen and only when there has been investment in upgrading water infrastructure.
Would I be paying more or less than now? Would it be a flat rate?
Cowen said that charges would be less and they would be based on metering with allowances. He did not get into specifics.
This seems a bit, er, watery on the detail?
That’s not an unfair assessment. There’s a broad plan there in terms of returning responsibility for water to local authorities and getting rid of Irish Water (eventually) and replacing it with a slimmed-down NRA-type body. Charges form part of the plan, but only after the investment.
But the question for Fianna Fáil will be is it worth all that hassle if, by the time it gets back into government, Irish Water has bedded down and people are paying their bills?
A lot of that will be dependent on whether the active campaign to boycott the charges goes from strength to strength or the majority of people comply and pay their bills.
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A great deal of the hardship arises from the world’s bully imposing sanctions for decades. They then have the neck to call for freedom.
@Anto Harris: yes yes true
Yes indeed, it always amazes me how people could ever be dissatisfied living under a Communist dictatorship with a very efficient security service who suppress and jail all political opposition and how many Irish people who profess to believe in freedom and democracy see them as ingrates and U.S. dupes for doing so. Funny how Cuba is always great for their holidays but they wouldn’t want to live there! And no, I don’t work for the CIA nor am I on their payroll but if they’re monitoring the Journal comments section then hey, I’m available and I’ve seen all the ‘Bourne’ and ‘Mission Impossible’ movies…
@William Tallon: the US has no moral authority to oppose dictatorships. It has allied with dictatorships for generations. It has allied with some dictatorships only to overthrow them after they have become less useful. The US has supported coups against democracies, and only occasionally against dictatorships, but in the latter only when useful to the US
When it gets involved it’s about power.
@john smith iv: Using that logic then most democratic countries today should just keep quiet about human rights abuses by dictatorships because of their own not too perfect history in that area. You’ve sort of proven my point. You seem to be suggesting that because you believe the US to be morally bankrupt that if it expresses support for people protesting a very repressive dictatorship that automatically makes those protesting extremely suspect and probably US agents or dupes. The bottom line is either you believe Cuba to be a repressive dictatorship and you support the right of its people to demand freedom and democracy or you don’t. I support them. I support freedom and democracy for all people even those in the US…
@William Tallon: I didn’t say “most democratic countries” now did I. That’s your straw man editorialising. I said the US. Nor did I say the protestors were dupes, you inferred that. The bottom line is that US has no moral authority to demand the end of dictatorships it disagrees with while propping up or supporting dictatorships or feudal kingdoms like Saudi Arabia.
@john smith iv: You’re perfectly correct, I mentioned them by way of contextualising and illustrating my point. No ‘strawman’ argument or editorialising. You’ve missed my point or as I think is more likely ignored it. I’ve made what I consider a totally logical inference by the way given your obvious and single-minded antipathy towards all things US which I think has affected you ability to make any sort of unbiased and meaningful point in relation to the current situation in Cuba. You still haven’t said whether you support the right of people in Cuba to protest and demand freedom and democracy. Your silence is interesting…
@William Tallon: well said man.
@William Tallon: When one looks at Cuba it’s unfair to compare the system to European democracies. When Castro took power in Cuba the vast majority of the population was illiterate and extremely impoverished with no medical system. Now illiteracy has practically been wiped out with a high standard of education for all, the medical system is one of the best in the world(despite American pharmaceutical being unable to supply it) and the vast majority of Cubans are happy with the political system despite the shortages they have to endure, mostly because of U.S. sanctions. When one compares life in Cuba to the rest of Latin America one can see the true progress it has made since the revolution . Why are the U.S. soo afraid to lift the sanctions?
@john smith iv: The US doesn’t need moral authority. It’s authority comes from the fact that it spends dollars and blood to exert whatever influence it deems necessary to achieve it’s goals. I am surprised they didn’t take care of Cuba when the Soviet Union fell. They missed the easiest opportunity then, but they are free to deal with Cuba now in whatever way they see fit.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell not urge the US to end the sanctions that are arguably the main cause of the economic crisis and shortages. Pretty hard to be prosperous when living under crippling sanctions.
Why does the ….
Ah ya its not like the US have ever interfered in Cuban affairs…. The whole bay of pigs fiasco… The fact Guantanamo bay is held hostage by the US. Castro has survived 634 assination attempts by all accounts…. Then there was the whole USAID sponsored social media outlet run by the CIA. I think I;ll finish with the yearly UN vote to lift US sanctions on Cuba that every nation is the world voted for except the US and Israel…..
The Yanks have been waiting to pounce and put a puppet government in Cuba for the past 60 years.
From Wikipedia.
1952 – 1959 the dictator Batista seized power with support from the United States. Batista suspended the 1940 Constitution and revoked most political liberties, including the right to strike. He presided over a stagnating economy that widened the gap between rich and poor Cubans. He placed most of the main industries including the sugar industry in U.S. hands, and foreigners owned 70% of the arable land. He negotiated lucrative relationships both with the American Mafia, who controlled the drug, gambling, and prostitution businesses in Havana, and with large U.S.-based multinational companies who were awarded lucrative contracts.
Rebels finally ousted Batista on 31 December 1958. Brutal US sanctions followed which are still active today.
Here’s Cuba, shows how dysfunctional it is, why people protest: https://youtu.be/wcseyA2aL8k?t=63
@David Jordan: just some guy walking around shops
@David Jordan: wanting Wexford strawberries in winter
@john smith iv: Is that really all you can garner from that video?
@Alan Watt: Yes because nappies, toilet rolls and ballcocks are seasonal….
@David Jordan: Wouldn’t be so bad if the US would lift the pointless sanctions they’ve been under since long before the Cold War ended. There was a vote to lift the sanctions recently, only two nations voted against, the USA and Israel… Over 180 voted to lift sanctions, that says it all.
@Alan Watt: “wanting Wexford strawberries in winter”
That is very intensive, once of the people interviewed was traveling around Cuba trying to find chemotherapy drugs for his son who has cancer.
@David Jordan: If Europe imposed sanctions here, we wouldn’t be far off that
I guess some influencal sectors of a near by nation wants their casinos and brothels back again.
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