Our last chance to speak up

People say Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney slipped up on radio when he said Irish people already pay €1.2bn for water in existing taxation. He did not.

He did what all purveyors of ‘democracy’ do: he offered us a contract; albeit a verbal one.

This verbal contract tells us that we are already being charged for water and now we will be charged a second time. If enough people do not say no, then the silent majority consents to double taxation and the Government feels entitled to proceed.

After all, they will claim they are doing what we ‘asked’ for. One can never impose enough taxation to sate the beast that is our unnecessarymonetary system.

So at least we should rest assured there will be many more verbal contracts in the near future, if we pass up this opportunity to reject one.

Silence gives consent. This maxim is as old as the hills and is particularly favoured by government.

Barry Fitzgerald

Lissarda

Cork