Water Charges News, No. 1

Many thanks to the person who forwarded this to the Archive.

This is a notable addition to the Archive from the Dublin Anti-Water Charges campaign of the 1990s. This document issued by then Councillor Joe Higgins, formerly of the Labour Party and that point Militant Labour, which became the Socialist Party, on behalf of the campaign notes:

The Dublin Anti-Water Charges Cam­paign has spearheaded the movement. Thousands of householders are being registered as non-payers in a door to door campaign. Tens of thousands of information leaflets and 20,000 of this bulletin are being distributed. The Anti-Water Charges Conference on September 24th will bring together the widest possible representation of community organisations and action groups to help weld one united and effective all Dublin campaign.

The publication advertises a Conference of the campaign to be held that September and notes ‘All residents and tenants organisations, community organisations, anti-water charge groups or individuals are invited to participate’.

There is a direct appeal to Council Trade Unions.

Workers in the Dublin County Councils can be called on by their management at a certain stage to cut off the water suply to the houses of residents who are refusing to pay the water charges. Disconnecting somebody’s water supply is a barbaric act and no Council workers want to be involved.

And:

The Dublin Anti-WaterCharges Cam­paign appeals to all County Council workers to pressure their union lead­ers into adopting a deliberate policy of refusal to cooperate in any way with attempted water cut-offs .

And another piece notes “THE building of an effective anti-water charges campaign in every area in Dublin is crucial if we are to defeat this new tax and force a change of policy on the major political parties and the government.”

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