Those who oppose water charges accused of fairytale economics – Cullinane

When those politicians who opposed domestic water charges, although not investment in water services, say they want water charges to be abolished, they are accused by the Government parties of fairytale economics and that it cannot be done, Waterford Sinn Fein Senator David Cullinane told the Upper House.

Speaking during a debate on water charges, he said the cost of abolishing water charges would be €80 million. “When one would strip out the conservation grant, which would go with it, the net cost would be €80 million,” he said. “Yet the Government, especially Fine Gael - the Labour Party has its priorities and it will set them out in its manifesto and I believe it has committed to this too - has said that it will abolish in its entirety the Universal Social Charge (U~SC), which would cost €3.5 billion, which is 50 times more than what it would cost to abolish water charges. It seems that this type of auction politics is acceptable where billions can be promised.”

Senator Cullinane said the first act of Fine Gael and the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, is to say that their first priority would be to cut the top rate of USC that will benefit the top earners, the top 14%, who happen to be the same people who benefitted in terms of the last five Government budgets.  “Let us be realistic and honest about the propositions that are being put to people,” he said. “Let us dismiss all of the nonsense tags that are being made. Tax cuts have been promised by Fine Gael which are irresponsible and cannot be met. The Government cannot say it will abolish the Universal Social Charge and, at the same time, say it can deal with the housing crisis, the problems in the health service and the problems with floods, and give money to local government. It is simply not possible and, as the election goes on, people will see that.”

 One of the things Sinn Fein would want to do is abolish domestic water charges and the property tax, he said. They are unfair and regressive. “There is something fundamentally unfair about charging people for water in the first instance,” he said. “It is also unfair for millionaires and very wealthy people to end up paying the same for these services as those on very low incomes and social welfare, including carers and people with disabilities. Many Senators will be going around the country knocking on doors and dealing with people who are in very dire straits. If they have not seen it already, they will then see that people are put to the pin of their collars.”