Resist water charges and attend rally in Dublin, urges AAA TD Paul Murphy
Mr Murphy, who is facing trial on false imprisonment charges for his role in the 2014 Joan Burton car blockade protest in Jobstown and a maximum life sentence if convicted, said he would continue to call for a boycott if re-elected.
“This [water charges] hasn’t gone away as an issue. The movement we have seen against water charges has been very powerful,” he said.
“It’s mobilised over 100,000 people on a couple of occasions on the streets, but it’s also been very powerful because it’s a mass movement of civil disobedience, of people deciding collectively to consciously break an unjust law: The imposition of water charges.
“I think it’s correct to do so, it is democratic to do so. This government doesn’t have a mandate for water charges, and I think it would be correct to continue with that boycott.”
He made his comments after addressing about 30 residents of Meadow Park Rd in Ballyvolane, on the northside of Cork City. It is one of several estates in the area resisting the installation of water meters.
Resident John Murphy said that while some neighbours are not displaying a “no consent no contract” poster, he feels they have a mandate to mount a protest.
His neighbour, Margaret Crowley, said people just do not have any more to give.
Mr Murphy was in Cork to support AAA city councillor, Mick Barry, in his bid to take one of the four seats in Cork North Central.
“It’s no surprise at all that Fine Gael are tumbling in the polls, when four out of five voters believe the recovery is two-tier and a clear majority feel that they have not benefited from it,” he said. “A recovery which includes a housing crisis, water charges, and so much low pay is a joyless recovery for hundreds of thousands of ordinary people and will trigger big political changes when people go to the polls next week.”
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