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.