WATER CHARGE PROTESTS continued today with Anti Austerity Alliance representatives staging a demonstration outside Irish Water headquarters earlier today, urging people to send their registration pack back incomplete.
Speaking at the protest today, activist Paul Murphy said there is a “revolt” taking place against what he said were “completely bogus” charges.
The vast majority of people have so far not returned the application packs from Irish Water properly filled out. We returned today to Irish Water a wheelie bin of packs which people have given to us in protest against water charges. We have also heard from postmen of large numbers of forms being sent back unopened, with protest messages to Irish Water on them.
Source: Paul Murphy via Facebook
Pictures have been cropping up all over social media sites of people who are sending back their packs – mostly with ‘No contract, no consent, return to sender’ written on them.
Murphy claims the charges can be beaten by non-payment “if people stick together”.
However a spokesperson for Irish Water stressed that those who refuse to register for the charge could end up paying much more in the end.
“If people don’t return their packs [completed], they will be landed with a default tariff which basically means paying for a household of two people and with no water allowances,” she said.
This would mean a payment of €424 a year, even for a single person living alone.
Yesterday, it was confirmed that customers who cannot use their water for drinking purposes will not have to pay for it. The average annual bill is expected to be €238, according to the Commission for Energy Regulation.