Water charges now 'a big election issue'

"There is utterly no question of a change of plan. Irish Water and water charges are here to stay as a means of providing investment and the development of national services fit for the 21st century," a spokesman for the Environment Department told the Irish Independent.

The government official acknowledged every citizen's right to peaceful protest. But he also argued that the Government had already introduced "certainty and affordability" to the charges.

The comments came after a big turnout at an anti-water charge demonstration on Saturday in Dublin. All sides agreed that "tens of thousands" attended the meeting on O'Connell Street after demonstrators marched from the capital's two main train stations.

While some official sources disputed the organisers' claims of 80,000 people attending, well-placed political sources conceded that water charges will now be a major issue in the forthcoming general election. Both Fine Gael and Labour candidates had hoped earlier this year that the political intensity surrounding the issue could be defused, but now the danger is that those who have signed up and paid may do a rethink, adding to the numbers opposing the charges.

Independent TD Finian McGrath said the scale of the protest sent a clear message to Government that water charges must be abolished.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald urged the Government to use the October Budget to abolish the charges and described Irish Water as "one fiasco after the other".

Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA) TD Paul Murphy said the demonstration showed the Government was "on the run" over water charges. Mr Murphy also said his organisation had been denied garda permission for a collection in his Dublin South West constituency on grounds that it would "encourage an illegal act".

Mr Murphy said the Socialist Party, a forerunner of the AAA, had been granted a collection permit in the past and he was seeking legal advice on the matter and may appeal to the courts. He said he could only conclude the refusal related to the AAA's role in opposing water charges and he suggested the gardai were "behaving politically".

Senior sources in both governing parties concede they cannot afford the huge loss of face arising from a policy reversal. They are also committed to huge investment in Irish Water. But both Fine Gael and Labour concede the issue will cost them votes.

Renua Ireland's deputy leader, Billy Timmins, criticised "the political cowardice" of those who are opposing water charges purely for electoral advantage.

"Many of those who are opposed to water charges are informed by genuine ideological and moral motives. They are fed up [with] paying and paying again for incompetence. We respect that position. But those who are in charge of the Right2Water have less beneficial motives," Mr Timmins said.

The Wicklow TD said ongoing protests by Sinn Féin, what he called "Syriza-loving Independents", and the Anti Austerity Alliance was politically immature and risked serious harm to the Irish economic recovery.

"It is easy for politicians to say we won't pay. But, unless we take the difficult step now of admitting that a proper water system has to be paid for, the social and economic costs will be far higher," he added.

Mr Timmins reiterated that Irish Water must be abolished as unfit for purpose. But he said funding must be found for investment in water services.