Protests about a lot more than just €3 a week

Leo Varadkar’s somewhat petulant comments regarding the protests against Irish Water yet again betray the fact that the government clearly don’t understand the people.

There are many people for whom €3 a week — or more accurately €160 a year in total — is a burden too far. There are a great many more people that are fully cognisant that water charges — if they’re allowed to stand — will soon be a lot higher than €160 a year.

This is merely the ‘introductory offer’ to get the citizens to accept a charging regime.

The charges in future will almost certainly skyrocket and then it will probably be too late to protest, so people are resisting now.

Almost everyone protesting (and probably some that are willing to pay water charges) know full well that if Irish Water is allowed to remain, it will be privatised shortly thereafter, despite the mealy-mouthed assurances of Enda Kenny and his ministers.

So you see, despite Mr Varadkar’s attempt to diminish the resistance to Irish Water, the protest is about a lot more than ‘€3 a week’.

How many hundreds of thousands of citizens have to march before they comprehend the legitimate anger?

Simon O’Connor

Lismore Rd

Crumlin

Dublin 12