Farming special - Day 3: Rural Ireland largely willing to pay water charge
Despite the ongoing controversy over the charges and regular protests among residents attempting to block the installation of water meters, rural Ireland largely seems to be willing to pay the fee.
The Irish Examiner/ICMSA survey on attitudes among the farming community found 61% of farmers intend to pay their water charges. Just one in 10 said they would refuse to pay the controversial charge.
Support for water charges was strongest among the 55 to 64-year-old age group, with some 73% of these farmers stating categorically that they intend to pay.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, younger farmers under the age of 34 were least enthusiastic about paying the fee, but just over half still said they would pay the fee.
Over two thirds (67%) of livestock farmers said they intended to pay the charge — more than any other sector. Tillage farmers (52%) were the least supportive of paying the charge but a majority still admitted that they intended to pay.
Geographically, there was a wide divergence of opinion on the charge. For example, almost nine out of 10 farmers in Athenry in Galway said they would pay the fee, while 82% of farmers in Cappamore in Limerick said they would pay. Conversely, less than a quarter (23%) of farmers in Carbery in Cork said they would pay their water charge — the lowest of any region surveyed. Surprisingly, most support for water charges was among farmers who plan to vote for Sinn Féin, with 77% saying they would definitely pay, despite the party’s vocal opposition to the charges. Fianna Fáil voters were the least supportive, with just 57% saying they would pay.
President of the ICMSA John Comer said farmers were one of the few groups in Ireland who were long used to paying for water.
“There are very justifiable irritations, however, at the confusion that has surrounded the design of the water charging system and, in particular, the notion of multiple-metering which could land many farmers with exorbitant charges given the fragmented nature of our farms, he said.
Mr Comer said: “We have noted the very regrettable tradition whereby Irish Water has been initiated with all the attendant set-up expense to ‘run’ our water system, while the existing local authorities — who had been managing water supplies — are set to continue trundling along in duplicate without any savings being made.”
“Farmers suspect that water users will end up paying for both sets of bureaucrats and that the revenues raised ... will disappear into administrative costs and not go towards the system upgrade that was the ostensible reason for their introduction in the first place,” he said.
