Large turnout at Ardara Can’t Pay Won’t Pay Meeting.

Up to 200 people turned out at a Can’t Pay Won’t Pay meeting last Friday night in the parish hall, Ardara. The meeting was chaired by local man Liam Whyte and invited guests Thomas Pringle TD and Cllr John Campbell addressed the meeting.
Independent TD Pringle informed the meeting that the Water Services Bill had passed in the Seanad the day before and that it will come to the Dail this week, because of the massive majority of the government it will definitely be passed in the Dail. The only way that it can be opposed is by the people themselves deciding that it will not be implemented.

The large attendance heard that the introduction of the Septic Tank, Water and Property Taxes gives the Irish people their first opportunity to directly have their say on the austerity programme being imposed on us. These taxes are to go directly to pay back the debt imposed on the people by the Troika Programme and will not contribute in any way to the delivery or improvement of any local services. Every cent raised locally will be matched by a cent withdrawn by the government from local services.
In a show of hands the meeting unanimously opposed the taxes and agreed not to pay or register for them.

The meeting follows on from the very successful meeting held in Donegal Town on Monday night where over 350 people attended in the Central Hotel. The campaign is gaining momentum with more and more calls from local groups for meetings to be held. There is a meeting in Downings on Monday night and meetings coming up in Killybegs and Carrick.
Considerable concern was expressed from the floor about the extra costs being forced onto people and the view that people will not be able to stand much more of this austerity was widely held. With Christmas on the way the large attendance wondered where money was going to come from to pay the additional charges. Real anger was expressed by the fact that the new water and property taxes will amount to over €1300 per year for already hard pressed households.

Deputy Thomas Pringle

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