Opposition boycotts Dáil over ‘jack boot’ bid to push through water fees

The opposition boycotted the Dáil yesterday to protest at what they called a “jack boot” bid by the Government to ram through water charges.

In a rowdy end to the Dáil year, the Ceann Comhairle accused maverick TD Luke “Ming” Flanagan of an “act of vandalism” in the chamber.

Mr Flanagan said that his Longford-Roscommon constituents had to drink “glorified piss” as he held up a glass of water which he said contained cryptosporidium and challenged junior environment minister Fergus O’Dowd to consume it.

“Kids in my area can’t even brush their teeth with it and you’re going to charge them for it?” Mr Flanagan said. He then walked across the chamber and left the glass in front of Mr O’Dowd.

The Ceann Comhairle has written to me about #pisswatergate #boldboy #waterservicesbill pic.twitter.com/P0yqU8LTpV

— Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (@lukeming) December 19, 2013

Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett expressed fury at the stunt and said he would call a special meeting of the Dáil committee on procedure and privileges to discuss the matter.

“A member walking down and handing a glass of dirty water to a minister — that is just outrageous and unacceptable behaviour,” he said.

Interesting. The word 'piss' is not a prescribed word in the Dail.Unless directed at a member.The word 'piss' that is. #waterservicesbill

— Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (@lukeming) December 19, 2013

In a rare show of opposition unity, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the technical group, and other independents staged a mass walkout in protest at the Government imposing a guillotine on debate for the Water Services Bill.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the move was typical of the “jack boot” tactics deployed by the Coalition.

Sinn Féin complained that while the Seanad had been given 18 hours to debate the water bill, the Dáil was only being allowed three.

Independent TD Joan Collins said the Government had used the same tactic rushing through the property tax legislation.

One of the few opposition TDs to take part in the debate, Fine Gael rebel Roscommon TD Denis Naughton said it would be an outrage if people in his constituency who could not drink water because it was contaminated had to pay for it via metering.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, said: “This legislation has to be enacted in this calendar year to implement the legislative measures in 2014.”