Water charges: Left did not win election either

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny yesterday made a robust defence of Irish Water, saying it still made sense that a vital service should be provided by a single utility and that to scrap it and revert to the former local authority arrangement would be costly and regressive.

Considering the number of seats that Fine Gael probably lost to the water controversy, it was a courageous thing to do.

Whether we like it or not, what Mr Kenny says makes sense. While the setting up of Irish Water was mishandled, to say the least, there is still a case to be made for retaining a single utility provider.

However, the momentum appears to be with disparate groups who are insistent that Irish Water should be scrapped and that there should be an end to charges.

This has been led by a motley crew of the hard left alliance, Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, and even Fianna Fáil.

The trouble is that none of those who favour abolishing the charges have come up with an alternative investment plan to ensure that the ageing infrastructure is brought to 21st century standards.

It is intolerable that parts of the country still have to contend with having to boil water and to buy bottled water. Much of Ireland’s water infrastructure is older than the Rising. Much of it is disintegrating and poses a serious health hazard. This cannot be allowed to continue.

The politics of protest will only achieve so much. While it is important to reflect the anger and disenchantment of voters, the alliances of the left — whose cheerleaders seem to be getting harder and more shrill by the day — have to recognise one essential fact: the overwhelming majority of Irish voters have chosen centre or centre-right parties.

They are deluding themselves if they think they are in the ascendancy. The reality is that the combined votes for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil achieved in the general election represent the choice of the electorate.

Both parties are centrist and, while culturally and historically different, are politically and economically close. Both are now accepting the reality of the situation and seem to be prepared to talk to one another. Simon Coveney of Fine Gael said as much on RTÉ’s Prime Time on Tuesday night while the Taoiseach appeared equally pragmatic.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin also looks to ready to sit down and talk, albeit with the proviso that Dáil reform should top the agenda.

If they reach an accommodation, that will put the left on an uneven footing. By and large, their rhetoric is without much substance. While insisting that water charges should be abolished, they do not offer any sensible alternative. The Anti-Austerity-Alliance-People Before Profit successful candidate Bríd Smith describes water as a human right. That sounds very caring and inclusive but it is nonsense. Nobody has the absolute and inalienable right to have fresh, clean and pollution free water delivered to their kitchen sink.

Just as Fine Gael accepts it lost the general election, the left need to get real and realise they did not win it.