Shannon group steps up campaign against water charges

The We Won’t Pay Water Charges – Shannon Campaign has hit out at what they call ‘bully boy tactics’ being employed by the Government to scare vulnerable people into paying water charges.

They say it’s no coincidence that proposed legislation in relation to debt collection is being highlighted, to coincide with the arrival of water bills. They claim that these empty threats have in fact infuriated people previously undecided into not paying their water bills.

Seónaidh Ní Shíomóin, a member of the Anti-Austerity Alliance and We Won’t Pay – Shannon said, “This debt collection legislation relates to fines, not the water charges themselves. No fines or attachment orders come into effect until after the general election. This means that people can safely continue to boycott the water bills, as there are no fines or penalties until after the fourth bill in 2016.”
Mary Lehane, a WWP – Shannon activist says that in the face of a general election, and a mass boycott any new government will be under enormous pressure to abolish the charges before the legislation even comes into effect.

“This scaremongering shows that the Government are terrified at the prospect of a mass boycott, which defeated water charges before in the nineties. They cannot cut off your water, jail people and Revenue are not involved. Therefore they can’t take it from wages,pensions or welfare allowances. Mass boycott will see an end to these rotten charges,” said Jim Delaney, from the WWP-Shannon campaign.”

The campaign has vowed to increase their efforts in exposing these empty threats and building non-payment in the coming weeks. Following a successful round of street meetings and continuing canvassing in Shannon, the campaign will begin lunchtime banner drops at the main roundabout in Shannon on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday.