The possibility of the introduction of water charges in Northern Ireland has been deferred until May 2016, when the situation will be reassessed by the Assembly.
Workers’ Party representative in Lurgan, Damien Harte, said: “Water charges are not off the agenda in Northern Ireland. They are only on the long finger and that long finger is getting very short”.
“The next Northern Ireland Assembly can introduce a separate charge for the use and consumption of domestic water.
There wouldn’t even be any significant delay in implementing the new arrangements, as upgrades and on-going maintenance work to the current water system has involved the installation of domestic water meters – just in case they are needed in the future!”
Many parties and unions are opposed in principle to the introduction of water charges because they believe in the principle that access to water is a basic human right and that no one owns water. Harte said: “Water is a public good which cannot and must not be turned into a profit-making opportunity for multinational corporations”.
He added: “It is important that an anti-water charges campaign is well coordinated and directed. To that end the WP has called on the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to reconvene the Coalition Against Water Charges. Finally, I suggest that at the next Assembly election in 2016 that the electorate only votes for candidates who are publicly opposed to the introduction of water charges and will keep their word when elected”.
