Sinn Féin oppose water metering

Water Metering

Dessie Ellis TD Has said that the government is clearly committed to imposing water metering on households. There is no evidence that water metering works, unless of course this government wants to fatten up the water service and sell it off. The projected cost of the meter installation varies from €500m to €1.5billion. This money would be much better invested in water conservation and upgrading the water supply system. Despite 36% of our water being lost through leakage, capital investment in water is being cut from almost €435 million in 2011 to €331 million in 2012. It is a cut of nearly €200 million on the 2010 allocation, with more cuts planned until the budget

is reduced to €266 million in 2016.

 

Cllr Anthony Connaghan has said that Sinn Féin fully supports improving our water supply and that over the years we have constantly asked for upgrades to the water system as it antiquated pipes were just not up to standard. Water is a resource that we all need and is a basic human right. The Government need to tackle the Banking Crisis head on with creative alternative thinking instead of trying to drain every cent out of people’s pockets with more and more stealth taxes in order to pay a debt which is not ours in the first place.

CE Schemes

 

Cllr Anthony Connaghan has criticised the decision of the Fine Gael/Labour Governments to introduce cuts to the community and voluntary sector. “This is yet another example of them not abandoning commitments they made while in opposition. The detrimental effect that cuts to community has in the long run are obvious to all in areas like Finglas. Many vital services and good

work will be hit by these cuts in areas such as Healthcare, Meals on Wheels, drug rehabilitation schemes etc.”

“ It is totally irresponsible to remove these services from the communities that need them most. We know that the money spent in these services actually saves the State money over time and by forcing these services to cease operation it will be the State that will need to step in and provide these services anyway. In 2008 the community sector was estimated to be worth €6.8 billion to the Irish Economy, three times the amount of State investment. These schemes play a crucial role in the creation and retention of jobs beacuase of the hugely beneficial training role of CE schemes in areas such as the provision of community childcare Given the current jobs crisis, and the infrastructure that has been built up over 20 years in the area the role of the community and voluntary sector has never been so crucial.” Concluded Cllr Connaghan.