Major rally planned as water arrests continue

Anti-water charge campaigners are planning a major demonstration against the ongoing arrests of people involved in the Jobstown protest.

Details of the rally will be announced at a press conference this morning but it is expected to be called for a Saturday afternoon in Dublin city centre in the next couple of weeks.

The move follows three more arrests of people in connection with the protest in Jobstown in Dublin last November where Tánaiste Joan Burton was trapped in her car for two hours after attending an event in a local education centre.

Gardaí have now arrested 22 people, including several juveniles, and questioned them about allegations ranging from public order offences to assault and false imprisonment. Up to 40 arrests in total are expected.

One of those arrested yesterday, Paul Kiernan, criticised the tactics used by the gardaí in calling to his home early in the morning as he was about to take his son to a medical appointment.

“They could have contacted me any time and asked me to come down to the station. I stood outside the station last week and told them, ‘Here I am, please just let’s get this over with’.

“But they came at ten past seven when I was just leaving the house with my wife and my son for an appointment that we were anxious enough about without this happening.”

Mr Kiernan, from Tallaght, Dublin, has a 21-year-old son with learning disabilities who is being treated for glaucoma. His appointment was at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital near the city centre.

“My son had an operation last year to try and stop the glaucoma getting worse so that’s what we were supposed to be going to the hospital to find out.

“I told the guards this and they said they’d take it into account but it didn’t count for anything. They held me for about four hours so I was processed faster than anyone else but I was too late for the appointment.

“My wife and son were late too. My wife has only a provisional licence so she couldn’t drive and they had to get the bus in to the city. They were seen and, thank God, the results were good, but my wife was upset and my son, even though I’d told him to expect my arrest, was scared.

“I don’t blame the guards who came to my door. They were acting on orders. But the way this whole thing is being handled has made people very angry.”

The arrests began a week ago with the detention of Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy and two Anti-Austerity Alliance councillors and have continued almost daily since.

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Tallaght Garda Station last Saturday to protest at the continued action but the Dublin city event being announced today is expected to attract a far bigger crowd.