Paying for water services: Funding for water must flow from reservoir of general taxation

With water charges a thing of the past, Caroline O’Doherty asks how we will finance Irish Water and essential infrastructural works.

THE decision to withdraw the criminal prosecution against the remaining Jobstown water protesters last week represented another shovelful of earth on the coffin of water charges.

It followed on from the acquittal of six of the protesters, including Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, after a lengthy trial during the summer. It comes as the Water Services Bill 2017 has started making its way through the Oireachtas where approval will “discontinue and extinguish liabilities in respect of charges imposed by Irish Water for the provision of water services to a dwelling”.