Limerick Councillors Hit Out At Water Tax

Councillors in Limerick have reacted angrily to the news their objections to the proposal of the introduction of water charges would be "ignored", a local newspaper has reported.

Councillor Diarmuid Scully compared Environment Minister John Gormley, whose spokesperson said their objection to water charges had been ruled out, to "the dear leader" of North Korea, according to the Limerick Leader.

Councillors were also angry that the Department of the Environment added the charge proposal to a consultation document without flagging it with local authorities.

Over the last two years, councils along the River Shannon had put together a number of proposals for management of the river basin, with a view to protecting wildlife and the quality of water.


"This is not a democratic decision: it is fascist. It's something you would get in North Korea," said Mr Scully.

"The Dear Leader is declaring something is going to happen, and that's that. It doesn't matter what the people, or the elected representatives think. If you're going to ask elected representatives to vote on an issue, what is the point of ignoring it?"

Had Limerick City Council rejected the water charge proposals – which will see houses in the city fitted out with a water meter – Minister Gormley would have used his executive powers to impose water charges under the Shannon International River Basin Management Plan, according to the report.

Following discussions with city manager Tom Mackey, city councillors opted instead to make an amendment to the plan, removing the reference to water charges.

But councillors were told by Mr Mackey this "cannot be considered to be in compliance with the directive or the regulations. The Department has advised therefore that adoption should now proceed by executive function".

Councillor Scully added: "Essentially, our choices were either to adopt the plan in full, including the proposal for water charges, or reject it and have it adopted anyway. This is purporting to be a democratic decision of Limerick City Council, despite the fact the unanimous wish was to remove this. It's obscene that elected representatives who were involved for years in this discussion document can now be hijacked."

(NS/GK)