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IN HIS FIRST public appearance since his shock resignation, Pope Benedict XVI asked members of the Catholic Church to keep praying for him.
Ahead of his Ash Wednesday address in the Vatican, he told the several-thousand audience members that he will step down from his top position “for the good of the Church”.
He said the decision was taken “in full freedom” after having prayed at length and examined his conscience.
“I am well aware of the gravity of this act,” he added.
“I was also well aware that I was no longer able to fulfil the Petrine Ministry with that strength that it demands. What sustains and illuminates me is the certainty that the Church belongs to Christ whose care and guidance will never be lacking. I thank you all for the love and prayer with which you have accompanied me.”
The 85-year-old, whose name will return to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on 28 February when his resignation comes into effect, said he could almost physically feel the prayers from supporters in recent days which he described as “not easy”.
“Continue to pray for me and for the future Pope.”
The pontifex then continued with his weekly catechesis to which about 3,500 people had bought tickets for. The mass had been moved to St Peter’s Basilica to accommodate an even larger crowd.
“It will be an important concelebration, and the last led by the Holy Father in Saint Peter’s,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said. A new pope is expected to be elected before Easter which falls on 31 March. The Conclave of Cardinals will be held on or after 15 March.
Cardinal Ratzinger will then retire to a little-known monastery within the Vatican walls.
-Additional reporting by AFP
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If they do this, they will prove all of us cynics who said the Senate was ua rubber stamp wrong and enhance Irish the checks and balances of our republic. It will also wash away the notion that the Presidency is useless and has no function, in one swoop. This happening would mean a few govt appointed senators not being robots and having some courage though. Please please Irish political establishment…for ONCE shock us, surprise us and do the right thing…
Any referendum that includes Irish water ltd in it’s text is a very dangerous option , if passed the legislation gets passed as well , inshrining domestic water charges and the very thing we are fighting , privatisation . The only way to stop that threat is for Irish water ltd scrapped and along with it the legislation , and control handed back to the councils Now let’s ask them to have a referendum on that . I doubt it would get a look in , because they can’t , our water is already under control of the privateers and has been for a few years now . https://www.facebook.com/afergus2/posts/864201720269068
APoll today says that 2/3s of people are not paying – Is that not a democratic – NO ?
Watch our Government worms tell us that “We Don’t Need a Referendum, they can put it in legislation”. Which coincidently, can be changed overnight.
Bobby
Your sound and going in the right direction, but your 3 months behind with your summary.
-There is not a word defining marriage in the constitution, but were having a vote on THATt
-There is no problem, for years, ignoring the blasphemy thing but were having a vote on THAT (but not the other dated crap in there)
-There are no politically active 21 year olds who despite lack of life experience and perspective the public is desperate to see in the Aras but were having a vote on THAT
-Youth turnout is appalling, and Gen Y has the attention span of a gold fish…but were having a vote on giving 17yos the vote…
..if were gonna do all that we should have a vote on something imporant.
Dear Senators, I urge you to watch “bottled life” currently on Netflix before voting. The story of how Nestle (switzerland) have grown their water business to €9bln/yr. The impoverished town beside their plant in Pakistan begged for some water while Nestle refused while exporting “Pure Life” brand water at premium prices from this well. Aquifers drained in USA (Maine). The untold story of “poland spring water” in the Usa. One 30m3 truck costs $10 and retails at $50000….but one town in Maine after years of perseverance fought and beat Nestle. Nestle would give their right arm for Irish Water, not for the domestic market but billions can be earned from exporting a new brand “Irish Water”.
surely these senators can at some stage put the people first and give us a referendum ,,keep out water safe from vulture capitalists
Come on Senators do you represent the rich peoples friends in Fine Gael / Labour or do you represent the ordinary working people of Ireland ?
Unfortunately Paul I think you’ll find it’s the rich
Theres an element of upper middle class Ireland that love this regressive stealth tax because in their eyes it makes the plebs pay ‘for a change’
So even in a referendum you’ll find a lot of those areas voting yes
The question is how many govt senators want to represent these areas as TDs nd will vote against an article 27 petition for that rea.
I think I represent the workers that built this country and have funded it since its foundation
It’s a political reality that most Senators want to be TDs, it’s not the way it’s meant to be but that’s what we’ve got. So it remains to be seen which ones will do right even if it harms their party popularity / odds of being nominated and seen as ‘not a team player’ and all that loaded code language. I actually think anyone associated with getting the people a vote on something they actually want (as opposed to nonsense like tinkering around wit the Presidency age limit) will be a shoe in for election in 2016
Spot on Senator
Ryan
I agree with you wholeheartedly,you just got the date wrong should be 2015
Whaf is the point of having a government or seanad at all if everything is to be decided by referendum, politicians are elected to serve the people and make responsible decisions. The time to see if those decisions have stood the test is during a general election not at a drop of the hat referendum.
You represent yourself mate, we didnt elect you…
We saved your bacon senator so we could have a Seanad working for the people… Until that happens next time you might not be so lucky
@Chris to give your question a serious answer we do expect them to represent us and deal with most decisions,
On some issues though, the people need a say. Until now these have been constitutional issues but our constitution does allow for an ordinary referendum (on anything) we’ve just never had one because our establishment is terrified of the public and always has been (it’s why Dev removed the power of iniative from the free state constitution) article 27 says it must be a ”proposal of such national importance” ad leaves what defines that up to the Presidents judgement. On top of that it’s clear from the protests the people don’t want this, and Labour ran against it in 2011 and got their mandate on that basis..so this is not like us demanding a vote on some routine ammendment to the criminal justice act this is a major part of our infrastructure that could end up in private hands in an era where many multinationals describe water as ”blue gold”
Ryan, I think many of the people in favour of this charge are on the basis that those that use the service, pay for it. They might not be upper or middle class as you say, but a lot of people are paying for their own private well or group scheme, plus paying for the public system through general taxation. Those people are indeed paying for water twice.
FG/Lab Chris
Take the day off,spent the afternoon reading the sunday papers, you would need to skip page 2 7 and 9 the Red C poll will only spoil your dinner.
Rat
What a load of cobblers, I can’t make head nor tail of that comment.
Sorry, Thierry Rat
You seem to be getting at the Senator,he is clearly against the water charges, why the threat.???
Thierry
Have you let the cat out of the bag, you seem to be a bit pi**ed off the Senator is against the water charges.
Absolutely Peter, I couldn’t agree more. We have some of the most useless politicians who pay themselves high wages for doing nothing, is it any wonder we are the joke of Europe that they cannot make clear decisions without having to go cap in hand to the people…it’s a disgrace!!
No he is against the current proposed bill
Where does he say he is against water charges
This is where he said it should be paid for in his above comment “Lets us not fool ourselves water WILL have to be paid for somehow some way My issue is the way this has been set up & ability to pay” this is where the senator is missing the point in that we already pay for water. He is the same as the rest of them…useless
Let us not fool ourselves Gerard?? We already are paying
I fully agree this is one reason why the bill is flawed. However this Bill is something the Irish people will pay dear for in years to come.
The bill needs to be scrapped, if there is a genuine need to update our water works it needs to be done through the councils and general taxation not creating a private utility. Income tax won’t affect the unemployed and it could be increased for top earners.. Also how about a bondholders referendum or a referendum to make government spending of public monies wholly transparent.. People don’t mind paying taxes for things that genuinely need to be paid for not squandered or wasted or sent abroad to bondholders
Sure we pay but just not quite enough it seems,we need €8 billion to upgrade our neglected water system and stop the disgusting practice of dumping raw sewage into our seas,we have two choice here,we pay through increased taxation or as is normal in every other country through a dedicated utility,one things for sure,after a hundred years of neglect, doing nothing is not an option.
Richard, when you try to explain to people it’s capped, or you explain the importance of diversifying revenue streams…they just tune out…they don’t trust ANYTHING the establishment has to say anymore after all the 2011 election lies
I think if you had said a flat rate of council tax that each council can control, along with an elected mayor and local control, and that one tax coveres everything, I think people would have been ok with that. Whats annoying them is every few weeks they see to be coming up with new charges levies and ways to hit them and this is the straw that broke the camels back
According to Kelly et Al. Where are the costings? Have you seen ANYTHING meaningful published in this regard? No but plenty of blather from people who hope to profit from awarding grossly inflated contracts. Material and labour have never been cheaper in modern terms. This is more figures being pulled from you know where. In due course the CAG and ourselves can tut tut over the criminal profligacy – TOO LATE.
Let me know where your buying materials Sheik because I don’t believe they’re any cheaper
You are a joke, but what’s worse is we pay your upkeep..
Thierry you have a very inflated importance attached to your opinion. You certainly don’t pay anything for me. I’m guessing it’s the other way round and I’m paying for your dole, medical card, etc. What is clear is you are a bitter sour person whom I’m glad I don’t know on a personal level. I have little time for people who spend their life moaning and blaming others. Change of name maybe, bitter rat ?
Pity we haven’t 30 senators and 56 TDs with cahoonas …..
Wishful thinking. ..
The water system has been in public ownership for decades – does everyone agree it’s a mighty fine system? Instead of saying ‘no’, what do people actually want, and how do they propose paying for it? Would people be happy with Irish water if there was a guarantee that there would be no privatization?
You mean Marie-EdnaSqueeze O’Donnell, Jillian Van Turncoat, Focál Quinn and Feck MacConghail. :)
#@Donnacha don’t lock yourself into an ideological cage. Ask yourself what works and does not, not what fits with an ideology. All state ownership is not bad by design.
You won’t get me arguing phone companies and airlines need to be state owned but very basic things like water infrastructure, hospitals, and shools we all benefit from state subsidy or control of them.
The state can’t run an airline well, history has proved that, but history has also prove a private monopoly is way worse than a public one and you only have to look at Berlin and Paris to see what a disaster that ideology was for their water. Or look back to 2008..where did that deregulate eveyrhting hands off credo get us with the banking system? Crash…burn…cut…certain things are not meant to be hands off deregulated and privatized.
So tantalisingly close to something being actually done for the people finally – Please drag it over the line senators.
I can only hope we do it is the right thing to do it’s the fair thing to do it’s the democratic thing to do.
Article 27 of the Constitution.
“a proposal of such national importance that the will of the people thereon ought to be ascertained”.
Our Water is of national importance.. let such proposal be available and it will be clear as Day, that the people of Ireland will make sure its never privatized. words and promises means nothing from our current government.
Repay the people that retained the Senate.
It’s a very big step in the right direction, the Red C poll this morning indicates the government is quickly going down the drain, and that should make it easier for senators to vote down this bill,and call a referendum to ensure our water is never privatised. The referendum can be held the same day as general election.
The above will also ensure a big turnout for the general election.
Im not sure you get it folks, the ENTIRE EXERCISE is about setting up water for privatisation. If amendments were agreed and the Irish People could veto privatisation then all the effort would have been for nothing and the Water Baron wont get his wish.
Mark my words, this coalition is in for a rough ride in 2015
Tentative Prediction Number 2 – It will be dark tonight.
Its times like this I really wish that we’d chosen Norris as President
Spoofer
Chuck?
Haha
Higgins is as much of a renegade as Norris was , He’d be forever in the history books for being the first President to refer bills to the people. The provision is there, why not use it?
He has to consult to the council of state but he can sit there and do a crossword if he wants, he’s not bound by what they say it’s up to him in the end.
Chucky ár Norris?
Best comment of all time. In the universe.
@WereJammin, was just thinking the same thing! Norris as President and Vincent Browne for Ceann Comhairle.
your universe is pretty small so
The Council of State is just a waste of time and space. You’ll find that Cowen and Bertie and John Bruton all have a say at that forum.
We won’t pay get rid of the Government we have had enough !
Instead of setting up Irish Water they should have spent this wasted money on improving the water structure. F.G. Set up Irish Water so their cronies could have jobs with high pay etc etc it funny how they found money to set up this phoney company and install meters but not a cent spent on improving the structure Sick to Death of all this cronyism Ireland no longer a country for all its people it’s seems to me it’s for the select few eg bad bankers regulators and bad goverence,
Enda is probably eyeing up a CEO position in irish water just like Brian cowen got picked for Denis o briens topaz
Why won’t the government give a referendum on this matter of iw. People are rightly afraid that it will be privatised or the assets sold off. Give a referendum and this will allay peoples fear . Everyone on this island has been paying towards water services. The assets should always belong to the people. If there is one thing this government can do for the people it is guarantee that water now and in the future is the people of Irelands not a private company, hedge funds or whatever. The fact that they wont has to make you wonder why not. we have not a lot that you can say this is Irelands and always will be make it water what every one needs to live.
Maybe it’s because the state have neglected the water and waste system for the last 100 years while they were responsible for it,the disgusting practice of dumping raw sewage into our seas for years has to stop and the way to do it is to provide suitable treatment plants all around the country,we have two choices, we pay the costs through increased taxation or through a dedicated utility like every other country,it might not be what some people want to hear but doing nothing is not an option.
“The State has neglected the water and waste system for 100 years”!!!
What absolute horse manure. They didn’t just put in the infrastructure a hundred years ago and walk away from it. Millions are spent every year upgrading the existing infrastructure in an on-going process.
Why didn’t the Government just increase a tax to plug the gap in the deficit instead of creating the bloated beast that is IW? Why have they consistently spent less on the infrastructure if they’re so worried about it? And, why wont they put IW under the protection of our Constitution? Let’s not kid ourselves here. They can promise us the sun, moon and stars that IW will not be sold and they can introduce all the legislation they like to protect it from a sale but promises aren’t worth shite and legislation can be changed with the stroke of a pen.
Looking at Kelly’s body language in the Seanad is shocking. Has he any respect for anyone? Constantly on his phone – receiving answers to the concerns raised by the Senators no doubt since he doesn’t know the answers – and when he was asked ‘Will he listen to the Senators’?, he responds by shaking his head. When he’s asked ‘So you wont listen to us, you just shook your head’?, he responds ‘I said “No, I will listen”‘! The only time he seems to be not lying is when he stops to breath!
I would love to see it happening but there’s more chance of Santa appearing down my chimney… and I live in an apartment.
Senator Craughwell your efforts are much appreciated and speak to your mindset and character as an Irish citizen. We need a pause to prevent what will be an inevitable disaster. There is a lot more to this bill than the government is telling us. My personal opinion is that they intend not to privatise IW as much as they intend or have already agreed with others to sell the rights to actually sell ‘water’ as a commodity as with gas electricity etc in the UK. IW will remain Irish but our water will be franchised out to vendors around the country…people such as Alan Kellys brother amongst others. Keep up the pressure we need more like you.
Take it out of our property TAX where is all that money going . Now shut up about where to get money for water
Hope this actually happens
I’m i alone in thinking I don’t want a referendum?
It’s not about paying a few extra Bob for water, i will happily pay €60 a year for an improved water supply that I may actually be able to drink without succumbing to lead poisoning, I will not however pay it to a private for profit company
Yep
This may not become a referendum on the actual bill. The govt might say exchange it for a referendum on privatization to ensure the water network is not privatized The mere threat of it gives the campaign leverage.
Most of the govt appointed senators are not from the aspring TD camp anyway so they’re not looking to feather their nest for future cabinet appointments so as far as I can see they’ve nothing to loose in supporting this, because Enda can’t fire them
The referendum will not stop us paying for water it will just kill this deeply flawed Bill We will have to find a way to take water production out of the ex checker in time However we can’t pay double tax.
Thomas its about privatisation and feathering the elites nest. The water quality of supply has nothing to do with Irish Water and their Call Center in Cork.
For years working with politicos I’ve been amazed at how quickly the Irish political establishment can work itself into a circle jerk of conventional wisdom and make something sound like it’s as obvious as saying the Sky is blue when it’s not.
There may be arguments to get it off the books (there are). There may be an argument that because of the property tax over-reliance in the 2000s we should diversify our revenue streams (without doubt) but the notion that we HAVE to have it seperatly billed for …there is absoloutly NOTHING stopping the govt funding the repairs and upgrades in phases the same way they fund everything else.
It’s time to get rid of these myriad of regressive charges and just have one local council tax that incorporates everything. We should do the same with the UHI plan for health ONE BILL where you know after you pay that it’s all included and you can realx not having to worry the govts gonna cook something else up a few weeks later.
I think the more the government add separate taxes and charges, ie. Household charge, property tax and now a water tax. We pay privately for bins we pay separately for road tax, which 5% was added many governments ago to look after water. I have to ask the government this, what is my general taxation been spent on. What is 41% from my wages every week actually getting me. And as a firefighter/paramedic we also took a 5% paycut and now pay PRD (tax) 8% per wk extra on top of the 5% i already pay. To tax water is a joke. My 41% general taxation is paying for the banks and bondholders. Enough is enough. Scrap it completely. Give something back to the public who have saved this country from bankruptcy.
Not very often a political figure engages the journal. I all for hearing his view. He shares my current view we already pay for water. A referendum on should our water belong to to irish people? I welcome this under the current climate of EU privatise objectives of water in Portugal and Greece. We should have more oversight on where the money collected for water .
They would greatly assist that cause by voting down the bill currently before them, if they’re serious. That would afford a much needed delay in order to organise a proper campaign. I expect the worst from the governing parties, but for the independents not to step up when they’re needed is appalling.
The Government keep putting out this red herring that they will sort out these lead pipes if we all sign up to I. W. There is so much lead piping out there as it was the piping that was used in houses that were built in pre fifties Ireland. It would take billions and years to sort out that problem alone. The disgrace of the sewage going into the seas and the rivers was been sorted and that can be seen by the red flags issued to our beaches and when the problem was sorted they got back their green flags again. All the costal towns and villages are now very conscious of their clean water and beaches. When pressure was put on the local authorities they also cleaned up their act in relation to the rivers. Some done more to do.
WE ALREADY PAY. Gobsh*te.
And yet another promise from someone in the upper house hoping to make it into the lower house on the back of water charges. How did he vote to date or was he washing the Bentley during the vote on water. But the fact is all these many years not investing in the water system instead millions on expenses and travel to conferences and of course foreign travel to see how everyone else done it has left us in this mess. All the planning without proper water and sewage systems in place has seen a third tax needed so we can borrow more to pay for yet another political failure but has lead to many generations of bumper cash for all involved on behalf of the taxpayer.
learitus
How many red thumbs would you like.
The gentleman is Crown, John Crown NOT Crowne. I hate it when people spell his name wrong. It’s disrespectful. I think both Senator Craughwell and Senator Crown are the best 2 senators we have by a mile. As for SF they are just jumping on the popular bandwagon as usual. I have no respect for SF, they are pathetic. But Gerard and John have my full support as always. Great Senators
Its only an issue if you have decided to pay this unwelcome tax, otherwise just ignore the government and don’t pay until like the senator above says they put it to us in a proper transparent manner and spend money on fixing the pipes prior to installing the meters.
i’ve asked quite a few people about their stance on it. it doesn’t surprise me that those who are reasonably well off and not struggling say “ah sure, if it has to be paid, it has to be paid, its the EU now, what they say goes” or their lack of understanding and contempt for people who protest like Leos infamous “what are they cribbing over €3 a week for?” – if they were not well off or struggling they would NOT say that.
all that sort of bollix. yea €3, add on another €1 (hehe like ye did at the post office for collecting the property tax – what was that €1 extra for? multiplied by 1million households was for something ah yea) i.e. a €124 property tax rate for 6months came to €125 charge at the post office. as if €124 was not enough? keep adding on, more little hidden s**** multiplied by 20 years x 1million households = moola for the elite. thats what we’re cribbing about.
In fairness Gerard the dail and Seanad are not the best people to do the jobs based on their qualifications… Do away with them and have a panel of randomly selected citizens (like jury duty)from all walks of life conduct interviews for these positions based on achievement, like Eddie Hobbs for finance, Roy keane for sport… You get the picture
This will end up troika united 1 – real Ireland 0
The big issue I have about a referendum is will it be laced with a load of things on the Yes and No sides of the legislation that will bring in changes to the constitution that people don’e want, but have to vote either way for or against?
there is the whole rural urban divide that is seldom mentioned in all this. I provide my own water supply & sewerage treatment(like 100′s of thousands others who live in the country) Why should I subsidise people living in urban areas. It was the same with bin collections, country people were paying for years before urban dwellers, but it was only an issue when townies had to pay. If water charges are scraped will people who provide their own water receive tax credits or some other refund for subsidising people who live in urban areas
@TomKenny, I have my own wall and septic tank too, you are only looking at one element of this urban / rural divide you speak about.
Why don’t you compare the cost of your house insurance compared to your city counterpart, and your car insurance.
I’m sure you will find you are paying considerably less.
Also check the cost of your house compared to that of a city dweller. You also need to remember that we chose to live in a house that is not connected to mains it wasn’t forced upon us. If you can for a minute look at the bigger picture here, this is our most vital national resource. Without water we die. We cannot allow it to be privatised and sold off, so please don’t forsake your children’s future for the sake of having a gripe about paying for something you chose to take on in the first place. We are not subsidising anyone Tom, every citizen in the country pays for water already.
Yippydee, would you think it works out the same ? really ? my biocycle unit cost over €1,000 this year alone, not counting esb. I don’t agree with the orginal high charges that was put on water but it should be metered and based on what you use you pay for. Or give people a reasonable free allowance and only charge past it, but it is the only way to encourage conservation
@TomKenny I’m paying around €500 per year excluding esb. My point is, it’s swings and roundabouts Tom, consider what your house would cost in the city, how many thousands have you saved there? By zoning in on one element your missing the bigger picture which is our national resource, it was bestowed to us as a gift and should never be in a position where it can be privatised and sold off to some foreign corporation. Incidentally, Not sure if you know but there is talk that Irish Water shall be taking over our wells and forcing us to connect to their system when they get out to wherever we are. Also look at the terms and conditions 1.9.7, with regard to the harvesting of rainwater. They want you to write to ask for “approval” to harvest the rainwater from your own roof! Irish water is a for profit company, they don’t give a hoot about conservation. In fact they are working in the opposite direction altogether, charging people for the harvested rainwater going into the drains. It looks to me that they want to take over every drop of our national resource. I agree that a reasonable price structure is needed but first and foremost we need to ensure that the resource is protected and enshrined into our hands via referendum.
if you have a septic tank what are you paying the €500 for ??
@TomKenny, the €500 is for a company to come and empty the septic tank and take away the waste, and also the government charge / tax for simply having a septic tank. Don’t understand how you don’t know this if you have your own well and septic tank? What are you paying €1000 per year for?
I also have my own well and septic tank and pay yearly for the up-keep but I’ve been to the last three major protests and will go to the next one and the one after that. Why? Because I am sick to the back teeth of this Government and their lies. They have reduced spending on the infrastructure since coming to power so could not give two hoots about the infrastructure.
Tom, this is the way rural group water schemes operate we paid just six euros last year for water. The bio-cycle tank costs us €200 each year to get de-sludged and certified plus esb for the air pump.
2 new pumps + €200 for desludge, paid the government charge last year. Septic tanks don’t need to be emptied (unlike biocycle) when they are working right, I thought you’d know that.
I’m not on a group water scheme Chris, share the well with my neighbour.
yippy yappy you better get back on to who ever charged you over €400 to empty your septic tank, you have been way over charged. Well either that or else your talking sh*t (pardon the pun)
TomKenny, Well mine does, and has been emptied every year for the last 15 years. As for your charge of €1000 euro per year, do you have to buy 2 new pumps every year? If so, may I recommend you get a different system in, €1000 per year sounds mighty expensive. Or are you actually looking at the €200 figure for your de-sludge and certificate yearly? Which is it? The €1000 figure you quoted in your first post, or €200 ?
I never said I have to pay €1,000 every year, I said I had to put two pumps in it this year. you are full of crap, In my home of origin the septic tank has had to be emptied once in over 40yrs.
TomKenny Yes I have got back to them, on a few occasions over the last 15 years, they are the cheapest I can get where I am situated. Give me the name and number of your people and I’ll certainly try them.
Anyway we are gone way off the point, water meters make sense. reduce some other tax to balance it back out and reduce the pressure people are under but the more you use the more you pay has to make sense. At the moment if a person leaves a tap on the whole week it doesn’t matter (I realise most people are responsible though)
TomKenny you said your “biocycle cost over €1000 this year alone, not counting electricity”..
Forgive me but that gives the “impression” to the reader that you are paying €1000 per year.
And no I’m not full of crap Tom, my septic tank is emptied every year for the 15 years I have lived here.
So now, I take it your not paying €1000 per year, but somewhere around the €200 mark?
In which case, I refer you back to my original recommendation. to contact your house insurance company and car insurance company, and see how much you are saving on insurance compared to your city counterparts.
I would suspect, that the €200 (approx) your spending on your own water supply / disposal is gained back in whole or in part when you consider this. You are not subsidising anyone Tom, every Irish citizen pays for their water already.
Don’t know why when I posted name it appeared above, Mulwaste, louth, peter a pure gentleman. If your septic tank isn’t working right he may help you get it back working, but the whole idea of septic tanks is that you don’t have to empty them
I don’t want to see anyone pushed to the edge or over the edge, but water charges make sense. If it is being paid by a % of the vat or whatever, then reduce that. but you have to see that fundamentally it makes sense. It should be enshrined that it can never be privatised and in that way politicians can be held responsible for cost, that should stop over charging
TomKenny, thanks for the recommendation, I’m living way down south, and out in the middle of nowhere, not sure they’d service down this far. The people I have coming come from Carlow, and are cheapest I can get. Nobody has alerted me that my septic tank isn’t working, they’ve always said its fine. I can’t say I know much about it, I tend to keep away from the area when they are doing their thing. Yes we are getting off the point, as for water meters, there is some debate about their safety, and the pros and cons I’m sure can be thrashed out at a later date after our national resource is securely in the hands of the Irish people and is no longer in the vulnerable position its in right now. Regardless of what we are paying now Tom, I’m sure, at the very least we can be agreed upon the basic tenet that turning our most vital national resource into a commodity / privatising it and the probable sell off to a multinational corporation in the future is something we should all be united against. Whatever we are all paying now (both the rural and city dwellers) will be a drop in the ocean compared to whats ahead of us if our water falls into the hands of foreign multinational corporations.
I don’t agree with privatisation full stop. I’m knowledgeable about septic tanks etc and have fitted many. I service my own biocycle unit. People genuinely used to throw a small dead animal, cat etc into a tank after it was emptied to get the correct bacteria needed in your tank to function. If your in a wet area that could be your problem and you may need better percolation, but you should get it looked at
I live in the country and i disagree with you. They will get us on the septic tanks. And they will tell urban dwellers they are subsidising YOU!!!!!! You idiot, dont fall for this rubbish divide and rule tactic. Have some solidarity with other people who are struggling you cretin.
Joe in simple terms i’d like to just say to you…..Go F*ck yourself
Some of us (20%) in rural Ireland already pay to get our water out of the ground. Why souuldn’t everyone pay for their water also? I don’t agree that I should pay for my water and pay for your’s also through general taxation. I will be voting for politicions that support water charges.
There’s one born every minute (two in some parts of Ireland).
mulwaste, in the northeast but Chris said they pay €200 also so it seems to be going rate
You see joan, a REFERENDUM would be ‘democratic’. You fascist.
have your say