Irish right to water movment takes off

Popular Resistance - Following  [a] massive national demonstration which saw well over 80,000 people from all over Ireland converge on Dublin to assert their right to water, the Right2Water campaign has again called on the Government to abolish domestic water charges. The trade unions affiliated to the campaign are also calling for a referendum to be held following abolition of the charges to enshrine public ownership of our water in the Constitution. Speaking at today’s event, CWU General Secretary Steve Fitzpatrick announced the wording of a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine water in public ownership in the Constitution following abolition of domestic water charges. A new Article 28 section 4:2:1 would be inserted to read: “The Government shall be collectively responsible for the protection, management and maintenance of the public water system. The Government shall ensure in the public interest that this resource remains in public ownership and management.”