Water charges on top of council rent hikes cause protests.
Leinster Express 10/06/2014
Portlaoise residents stood guard at
the entrances to three estates last week in protest at the installation of
water meters.
In St Brigid’s Place and Cois na
hAbhainn, residents have held vigils for the past fortnight, saying they want
speed ramps before meters.
At Cois na hAbhainn on Mill Lane,
residents are taking it in turns to sit at the front of their estate with
placards, getting beeps of support from passing motorists.
They are angry at being charged for
water, on top of a recent increase in rents.
“They are looking for money off
people that they don’t have. I have six children, the council increased our
rent from €55 to €86.50 a week, now we are facing water charges,” said James
O’Callaghan last Thursday June 5.
“I can’t understand why there’s money
for meters, but we have no footpaths, nowhere safe for children to play, and no
speed ramps,” he said.
Father of two Alan Delaney is also concerned.
“My rent is gone from €37,50 a week
to €65, and now we are to pay for water not suitable for drinking. The only
green area is behind a wall near the entrance, it is a blind spot for drivers,
people turn in so fast it’s ridiculous, I can’t let my four year old son play
there,” he said.
They plan to keep their post “for as
long as it takes”.
“Everybody here is behind us,” said
Mr O’Callaghan.
Last Wednesday at the Woodgrove
estate on the Mountrath road, gardaí physically removed a resident off the entrance
road, to allow a truck and trailer to drive in.
“They tried to drive through us. The
gardaí are supposed to be impartial but we felt we were being intimidated and
bullied. Irish Water refused to tell us what chemicals are in the water. The UN
says we are entitled to clean, continuous flow of water, free from
micro-organisms and chemicals. Our water is not,” said resident Eileen Buggy,
who spent several days on vigil from 7am.
“This is substandard water. A lot of
us have water softeners but they are not good enough to clean all the lime out
of the water. People can’t afford it. They will end up in mortgage arrears.
They haven’t even told us what it’s going to cost,” said another resident.
Last Friday, Irish Water officials
went from door to door in the estate, and began installing meters at houses
where there was no objection.
Sinn Féin Mountmellick – Serving The Community
Having read the report in the Laois Nationalist and listened to the protest proceedings on the radio. I was astonished that there was no mention of any of the newly elected local councillors or of any TD's being present in support of these protestors. Am I to assume that the local politicians are just in politics for the money ?
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