EU Say Ireland’s Domestic Water Charge Exemption Is Safe, Unless Alan Kelly Gives It Away On January 1st
Last week the Minister for he Environment Alan Kelly said that Ireland did not have an exemption from domestic water metering and charging as defined in the EU Water Services Directive.
This was simply untrue, and the EU have confirmed this.
Alan Kelly was trying to cover up the fact that he alone is about to give away the people’s exemption. Why? Because he is doing what he is told by the Troika banks.
The exemption cannot be taken away, not by the EU, and definitely NOT by the Troika, who are not party to the directive; it can only be given away.
This is yet another example of our politicians’ spinning and twisting the truth – you may say lying.
Where do their loyalties truly lie? This highlights once again the duplicity of government while they work for outside entities to the detriment of the people.
Alan Kelly must submit a report on 1st January wherein he is supposed to renew the exemption for another 7 years. Alan is intending to NOT renew it. We must make it known that this is not our wish and he has no authority to do this. Please let it be known to all representatives that this exemption must be renewed.
It is the will of the people.It is pertinent to say at this point that if we had a direct democracy system of government in Ireland this situation would not even be happening, because the TDs would know the people would call a referendum on the issue and overturn it, and hence with this knowledge government would not even try to do this.
The following is an update on the situation from former MEP Kathy Sinnott , who is a former member of the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. This letter outlines the reality behind the spin; and gives examples of why the privatised model they are looking to create does not and cannot yield the results the government are promising.
“The Irish Exemption”
Update on Current Situation
by Kathy Sinnott
I recently tried to alert people to the existence of the “Irish Exemption”, Ireland’s unique exemption from domestic water charging based on Article 9.4 of the EU Water Framework Directive.
The exemption is based on the Irish Department of the Environment’s commitment, strategy and budget to rectify the inadequacies in our water management without metering.
This commitment is recorded in the 2008 Irish River Basin Management Plan. Former Minister for Environment John Gormley was able to confirm in 2008 that Ireland had obtained and was availing of the exemption from household water charges.
I was assured at the time by the European Commission that the EU couldn’t not take the exemption from us but Ireland could cancel it.
This week Minister for Environment Alan Kelly publicly denied we currently had an exemption from domestic water charging. He stated “We do not have a derogation because we now have committed to the model that we have.”
Fortunately he is wrong.
In trying to confirm the current situation, I contacted Brussels.
The good news is that the Water Framework Directive Article 9.4 exemption is still in place. The challenging news is that it is under imminent threat of cancellation by the Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly himself!
In accordance with Article 9.4 of the Water Framework Directive our exemption is embedded in the 2008 River Basin Management Plan. Any renewal or cancellation of the exemption is done in the next 7 year RBMP. And it is the Minister for the Environment who assembles and submits this plan
This 2015 River Basin Management Plan is due on be handed into Brussels by New Years Day. Both the Irish government and the European Commission are expecting that Minister Kelly will not renew the exemption and will instead include domestic water charging as part of Ireland’s strategy.
Why are they so sure that the plan as yet incomplete and unpublished will include water charging? Because in 2010 the Troika told us to privatize and charge for water and both the Irish government and the EU Commission assume that we will meekly obey, that is we will state in the River Basin report that the only way we can protect our rivers is by charging for domestic water use!
But is this true?
If the money spent on metering is spent on pipe work the leaks will be repaired. And if the money already collected in taxes for water infrastructure was spent on upgrading treatment plants we would see a significant improvement to the water infrastructure to domestic homes and meet our part of the next 7 year targets on river basin management.
Because the EU water legislation is based on the “polluter pays principle”, the most obvious strategy for financing clean water is to identify the real polluters of water in Ireland and make them pay.
In the 2008 plan, the sources of pollution are listed. They included agriculture and rural septic tanks. These sources have been tackled at great expense to rural dwellers and significant improvement has been made and progress is ongoing.Other sources like quarrying, mining including old tailings ponds, leaking landfills, forestry, industry are still major sources of pollution.
If it is the polluter who is supposed to pay then it should be these for profit industries which should be paying for the purification of the water they polluter and for preventative measures not the ordinary householder who is already paying.
To give an example. We are told we need domestic water charging to deal with cryptosporidium in our water supply. But again is this true?
Uplands all over the country were planted in coniferous forests.. Unlike deciduous forests natural to Ireland, these plantations of Sitka spruce trees acidify the soil and do not break down animal waste effectively. After a few decades these forests are “clear felled” with heavy machinery that rips up the forests leaving the soils exposed. Heavy rains wash the animal waste and acid soil down hill to the river below. The resulting pollution provides ideal condition for cryptosporidium and other contaminants.
Why would the people in these areas who are innocent of causing the problem and who are already bearing the expense of bottled and boiled water asked to foot the bill for cleaning up water pollution they did not cause. The Department of the Environment should instead go to the real polluters,and recover the cost of cleaning up polluted water, or better preventing the pollution in the first place.
Privatization will not solve our water infrastructure problems because private companies are geared to profit. It will make sense to invest in 500 meters of new piping in a city because it will serve hundreds of paying houses. But it will cut into profits to replace 500 meters of leaking pipes in which serves only 5 homes. A privatized water system will still be a leaky water system!
Alan Kelly can save the Irish Exemption by making the commitment in the River Basin Management Plan that actual water polluters will pay, that funds collected for water infrastructure in existing taxes will be used to upgrade our systems and by creating incentives for improvements to domestic water use like rain water collection system.
There is still time to save the Irish Exemption…and the Irish people are in the mood to defend it because once the exemption is gone it is gone for good.
We have one month to save it.
God bless
Kathy Sinnott
kathysinnott@gmail.com
Former Member of the European Parliament
Former Member of the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
37 Comments
Eugene McCann
What can be done to save it. Will a petition against Alan Kelly TD stop him from cancelling our exemption?
phyllis finnegan
Yes yes and get rid him and government out out out
tirnanog33
A bullet may well be the only remedy to deal with that little ambitious ratbag in a pinstripe suit.
Admin D
It is as easy as the power of the pencil “X”
hughorourke
Your remark is revolting, unacceptable and will damage our cause. Are you perhaps a party provocateur trying to smear the campaign? If you are genuine please withdraw NOW>
Eric Byrne
Make that about 50 bullets and get rid of a good few more rats
Admin D
DDI don’t approve of bullets, we will overhaul the justice system so that it finally prosecutes those who abuse power, and does not ignore when the constitution is being breached
Marcella
Get Kelly and the rest of the gangsters out out
EndOf Kenny
When this government falls and it will all theae criminals have to be arrested and tried for treason.
John Mitchell
How can we stop from happening, and how to go about it PLEASE.
joby1957
One way of achieving Justice is to elect a New Council of State of Ireland and the Lifting of the 30 Year Rule regarding Cabinet Papers.
The New Council of Ireland can be given New Constitutional Powers of Calling ex Taoisigh, Ministers and Director Generals, Ex Garda Commissioners, Ex City & County Managers, Ex EU Commissioners & Ex MEP’s, Ex Ministers, Councillors etc..
This would be legislated in both houses of the Oireachtas, the Seanad and the Dail.
We can also legislate that the Seanad is in total Charge of Ireland’s Constitutional Issues especially the return of updated Articles 47 and 48 in today’s Ireland to protect the People and its Natural Resources of Water, Oil, Gas etc..
Bring in Proper International Best Practice Banking Laws instead of loose Banking Regulations that goes unregulated … If this means leaving the EU as a Full Member so be it … We could follow Switzerland with their seven Modules of EU Membership.
Anything and everything is possible for Ireland’s future within a global sphere of governance at home and abroad.
Brendan Fox
I am hoping that this is a feasible reform
Admin D
Agreed, everything is possible. the sky will not fall if things change. things change all the time, they always have, and here we still are, sky in it’s right place.
Eugene McCann
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_people_of_Ireland_Stop_Alan_Kelly_from_giving_away_Irelands_Domestic_Water_Charge_Exemption/?nmoNteb
John Gillespie
Well done Eugene, let’s get everybody to share and sign this
john mitchell
thank’s Eugene
graham mellows
Thankyou.. Done
tony wall
Why do the people of this country have to be told what to do now is the time to get this SHOWER OF LIARS OUT OF OFFICE
Martin Anne Holloran
Cget them out quickly
marian crowe
we want them out they broke the country, they just lie through their teeth every single day, enough is enough.
pat brien
He has to be stopped. Plain and simple or tried for treason for knowingly working against the people of IRELAND.
Fools Crow
Yes, agree that the villains in this government and previous governments should be taken into custody and charged with graft and treason. More than that, we should withdraw immediately from the fascist EU and never again let foreigners tell us how to run our country and our lives.
The first door I would knock on is that of the Central Bank of Ireland. The Governor and his senior staff are the greatest nest of vipers to afflict Ireland since St. Patrick banished their forefathers from this country.
Time to let the House of Rothschild know we are no longer their financial slaves…
Eireann abu!
joby1957
This Update has come from an ex MEP Kathy Sinnott “The Irish Exemption” is fully active and therefore Fully Legal,an EU Directive Document until December 31st 2014.
Ireland and the Economic Management Council, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Finance Minister, Michael Noonan, Tanaiste, Joan Burton and Public Reform Minister, Brendan Howlin, is totally acting out of its questionable unconstitutional remit in making a National / EU Directive without Cabinet discussion because, the exemption cannot be taken away, not by the EU, and definitely NOT by the Troika, who are not party to the directive which binding between Ireland and the EU Council, it can only be given away by the Economic Management Council … Whom are controlled by the Troika and now being passed over too or instructed to do so by Minister of Environment, Alan Kelly … Can the Labour Party finally not see that they being self made the scapegoats?
It was not that long ago … then Labour leader and later Ex Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore and ex EMC Member once accused then Taoiseach, Brian Cowan of economic treason … Quote: “I believe that decision was made to save the skins of a number of individuals – some of whom are connected to Fianna Fail – whose property interests and whose prosperity was bound up with the fortunes of Anglo,” he said. “If my belief is correct – and I have not been convinced to the contrary – then that decision was an act of economic treason for which this country is now paying very dearly.” Unquote. PUBLISHED, Irish Independent
31/03/2010 | 13:50
Accusing a fellow Irish Dail TD and Taoiseach of ” economic treason ” back then has come back to haunt the present Labour Leader, Joan Burton, the Labour Party Ministers and Deputies in general and all of its Party Members … Perhaps, this is the reason why SIPTU’s Jack O’ Connor is leaving a sinking ship that was once … the Irish Labour Party. If they maintain this Political Course of Action amid pure public anger with local and National Protests telling this Government of how wrong they are in leading Ireland to Gods knows where … Labour’s own race to the bottomless depths of despair for future Irish generations … financially and spiritually as a once proud Sovereign Nation of Eire will never, never be forgiven or forgotten.
If they, the Labour Party give this ” Irish Exemption ” away on the 1st January 2015 which will become a Second Time Round Bailout of epic proportions of Irish Political Governance at Local and National levels of pure incompetence. It is only right that the Irish People manifests its own mandate in bringing back their sense of pride where it belongs …. in themselves as a People, in their homes, our childrens children and finally as a Nation … Once again.
The Irish People’s March – Remember, Remember the 10th December 2014, National Protest March to Dail Eireann will fully endorse that legendary one time quote in Irish Political history to the demise of the Irish Labour Party own race to the bottom of their own making with no chance of a mandated or manifested lifebuoy in future general elections. Then good riddance Labour, it’s your call.
God Bless you Kathy Sinnott, the People of Ireland shall honour your Political integrity with our duly warranted respect in defeating the cancellation of the Irish Exemption on Wednesday, 10th December 2014.
Rita Cahill
it will never be by passed by the irish people because the water scam is illegal and unconstitutional just like the children’s referendum and fiscal treaty all which were rigged and fixed treason treaties by EU and FG, LB, FF, and France and britain and Germany, US, And NI UK and Scotland and Wales, all the main treason Suspects who have committed treason Against The irish people of South of Ireland, now they think they can get away with stealing our water, the scum robbed our gas and oil and ESB and Communications and now they want Our 1916 History and Irish Water privatized and Commercial Promotion of the sale, no fucking way will they get these two, we will fight back all the way.
joby1957
Well said Rita.
John Blythe
The people have the power
Use that power to the max
hughorourke
Please write politely to your TD now. Fine Gael contact details for all their Oireachtas members are at http://www.finegael.ie/our-people/
Martin Shanahan
Please act in the best interest of the people who voted for ye ,the old saying goes What we have we hold ,No Minister or Cabinet should have the right or entitlement to make our position worse than we are currently suffering especially a LABOUR PARTY. Please be advised that the PEOPLES day will come again.
Deborah Trappe
Alan Kelly. You DO NOT , have my permission , as a citizen of this state, a tax paying citizen to hand over my right to water under article 9.4 on January 1st. I did not vote Fianna Gael/Labour into politics (and they have proved my decision to be right ); they do not have my voice nor my confidence in any decision they choose to make .
Patrick Hogan
They are capping the levy for what 4 years is it but by god wait until that 4 years is up and then see what the real water tax will be ah sure they will give us some great things in the budgets leading up to the next general election but knowing this shower of parasites if they get back into office watch how soon they take it all back with the line oh the economy has taken a down turn so we have to tighten your belts ( not there belts and the belts of there mates in Irelands golden circle ) only the people can stop all this injustice talk about losing the run of yourself that Kenny fella and his ilk think they own the country they were elected to look after the citizens of this country not drive them into the ground the vast number of people that have taken there own life is down to this lot they should hang there heads in shame ,People Power will win the day keep it going .
Mike Walsh
PUT THIS ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA AND PRESS.
Majella
another spin doctor lie…shame on him
paul murphy
Mr Kelly is a puppet.When hes talking you can see it in his face that higher up people are pulling his strings This man has no balls how the hell did he ever become a politician.
Garry Cronan
Would we as a nation be able to take him to court or this government if he cancels this exemption on the Irish people he will go down in history for all the wrong reasons his poor family you would have to pity them.
Martin Davis
it,s a WORRYING SITUATION,When the future of our country &our children’s ,is in the hand,s of an Spineless yuppie..like Alan Kelly!! he has to be removed one way or another!period!!jail him for fraud!!?????
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