Jobstown Protest TD Paul Murphy and 5 Others Found Not Guilty

Jobstown protest TD Paul
Murphy and 5 others found not

guilty
The six men were accused of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan
Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell in 2014.
June 29, 17
TD PAUL MURPHY and five others have been found not

guilty of falsely imprisoning Joan Burton and her adviser.
The six men were accused of falsely imprisoning former
Tnaiste Joan Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell in
2014.
The trial started on 26 April.
The two women were attending a graduation ceremony at
An Cosn adult education centre when demonstrations
broke out around them.
They remained in a car in the churchyard and then in a jeep
on Fortunestown Road for a total of three hours after they
were surrounded by protesters.
CCTV footage request
Earlier today, the jury asked to watch garda air support
video footage taken on the day of the Jobstown protest.
As the jury returned to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to
resume deliberations this morning, the jury foreman said
they wished to view aerial video footage of the jeep on
Fortunestown Road to see if it could reverse.
The jury of seven men and four women deliberated for one
hour and 53 minutes yesterday. One juror was discharged
earlier in the trial.
In her initial charge to the jury on Monday, Judge Melanie
Greally outlined the definition of the charge of false
imprisonment, which she said must involve total restraint.
She said if there was a means of escape, or egress, than the
restraint could not be total.
Judge Greally said the jury must consider whether Burton
and OConnell had a means of escape.
She said two such possible means of escape had been raised
at trial that they get out of the car and leave Fortunestown
Road on foot, or that the Jeep reverse as advised by the
Garda Air Support Unit.
In a further charge to the jury yesterday, the judge said a
third means of escape was open to the jury to consider
whether the women could have egressed down
Fortunestown Road. She said that means of escape involved
commotion and chaos but it was open to the jury to decide
if it was a reasonable option.
The jury watched the video footage in the courtroom, which
was cleared to allow them to watch the footage while
continuing deliberations.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five other men pleaded not
guilty to falsely imprisoning Joan Burton and her adviser
Karen OConnell by restricting their personal liberty without
consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on 15
November 2014.
The prosecution alleged that by surrounding the cars, the
accused men engaged in a joint enterprise to totally
restrain the women and deprive them of their liberty.
The defence submitted that there was no false imprisonment
and that the accused men were exercising their
constitutional right of peaceful assembly. They maintained
that obstructing the car was no more than an
inconvenience, delay and a nuisance.
http://www.thejournal.ie/courts-jobstown-jury-3469624-Jun2017/?
utm_source=shortlink
1
Michael Murphy (53),Kieran Mahon (37), Michael
Banks (46), Frank Donaghy (71), Scott Masterson (34),
Paul Murphy (33). Pic Collins Courts
Andrew Phelan and Isabel Hayes
June 29 2017
PAUL MURPHY TD and five other men have been found

not guilty of falsely imprisoning former Tanaiste Joan
Burton at a water charges protest in Jobstown.
The jury in the trial of the six men returned its verdicts at
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court this morning.
The court room, which was packed to capacity, erupted in
cheers as the verdicts were handed down shortly after
midday. There were cheers of No way, we won't pay and
several supporters broke down in tears.
The accused were also found not guilty of falsely
imprisoning Ms Burtons advisor Karen OConnell during
the protest that took place while the pair attended an adult
education graduation ceremony in 2014.
Mr Murphy (34), a Solidarity TD, along with south Dublin
councillors Michael Murphy (53) and Kieran Mahon (39)
and three other men - Michael Banks (46), Frank Donaghy
(71) and Scott Masterson (34) - had all denied falsely
imprisoning Ms Burton and Ms OConnell at
Fortunestown Road, Jobstown in Tallaght, Dublin on
November 15, 2014.
The six men were on trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
for over two months. They nodded and smiled as the not
guilty verdicts were handed down.
Judge Greally thanked the jury for their exemplary
service and told them they had shown extreme bravery
and courage in taking on the case. A juror was discharged
halfway through the trial for personal reasons.
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Brid Smith @bridsmith
Absolute euphoria outside courts
#JobstownNotGuilty
12:42 PM - 29 Jun 2017
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She exempted them from jury service for life. There were
further cheers in court as she told the six men they were
free to go.
The 40 day trial, which started on April 26, heard the two
women were attending a graduation ceremony at An
Cosn adult education centre in Jobstown when
demonstrations broke out around them. The jury heard
they were detained in vehicles for three hours as they
attempted to leave the area.
Follow
Orla O'Donnell
@Orlaodo
12:46 PM - 29 Jun 2017
The prosecution case was that by surrounding the cars, the
accused men engaged in a joint enterprise to trap the
women and totally restrain their liberty.
The defence argued that their clients engaged in a peaceful
protest and this could not amount to false imprisonment.
They submitted that at worst, their clients were engaged in
obstructing a vehicle or delaying and inconveniencing the
women.
Jobstown jury told
video evidence
should be
paramount
Updated / Wednesday, 28 Jun 2017
Six men face charges over the alleged false

imprisonment of former tnaiste Joan Burton and her
adviser in November 2014
The jury in the Jobstown false
imprisonment trial is set to resume
deliberations tomorrow after deliberating
for a time this afternoon.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other
men deny the false imprisonment of former
tnaiste Joan Burton and her adviser at a
water charges protest in November 2014.
Jury deliberations were suspended on
Monday for further legal submissions and
resumed this afternoon after further
instructions from the trial judge.
This morning Judge Melanie Greally made
additional remarks to the jury, during
which she said none of the accused had
given evidence in their own defence.
She said this was their right and the jury
should not draw any adverse inferences
from this.
She also said the video footage should be
the primary source of evidence for the jury
to consider.
"That is not to say that it is not possible
for certain events not to have been
captured by video footage but it must be
regarded by you as the primary and most
reliable source."
Video footage had at times contradicted
witness testimony and was not subject to
the "frailties of human memory," she said.
In her charge on Monday the judge told the
jury one of the key issues to be decided
was whether or not the protest at
Jobstown was peaceful.
This morning she said a decision by the
jury that the protest was not peaceful did
not decide the question of guilt or
innocence but was relevant in context
only.
The jury would have to consider if each of
the accused by their actions participated
in the total restraint of Ms Burton and Ms
OConnell and if so, had they done this
intentionally.
She said the prosecution accepted that if

the jury found the women had not been
totally restrained in the first garda car
then the prosecution case "fell at the first
hurdle".
The jury would have to consider the
actions of each of the accused, she said.
While she had told the jury to consider
what the defence had identified as two
possible means or routes of egress for the
two women that day, the judge said the
jury could also consider a third possibility -
if moving down the Fortunestown Road,
albeit slowly, could also have been
considered to be a means of egress.
The judge also said the jury would have to
assess if the absence of statements from
others present that day was relevant to the
suggestion made by the defence that
garda had an agenda in relation to the
accused, particularly Paul Murphy.
https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2017/0628/886201-jobstown/
Six found not guilty

of false
imprisonment in
Jobstown trial
Updated / Thursday, 29 Jun 2017
All six defendants were cleared of the charges

Six men on trial for the false imprisonment
of former tnaiste Joan Burton and her
adviser have been found not guilty by a
jury at the Circuit Criminal Court.
After an eight-week trial the 11-member
jury returned unanimous verdicts having
deliberated for less than three hours.
Loud applause and cheers broke out in
court as the verdicts were announced.
The charges arose from a protest in
Jobstown in Tallaght on 15 November 2014.
The prosecution said Ms Burton and Ms
O'Connell were detained in garda cars for
up to three hours against their will.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, along with two
county councillors and three other men,
had all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Ms Burton was surrounded by anti-water

charge demonstrators as she attended a
graduation ceremony at an adult education
centre.
She was verbally abused and hit with a
water balloon as she walked from the
centre to a nearby church.
Amid concerns for her safety she was
placed in a garda car and advised to leave
the area.
However, protesters surrounded the car,
preventing it from leaving the church
grounds.
Ms Burton and her adviser Ms O'Connell
were then moved to a garda jeep.
The crowd followed and a sit-down protest
ensued. It was three hours before the two
women were able to leave the area.
In her evidence Ms Burton said she was
terrified at times during the ordeal and
was fearful about how she would get out of
the area and what would happen if the
crowd got to her.
She said she felt she was "running for her
life" when she eventually left the area on
foot to a third waiting garda car.
Ms O'Connell described it as the scariest
experience of her life and said she was
very frightened while trapped in the cars.
Solidarty TD Paul Murphy and five other
men were among the protesters that day.
The prosecution said while they did not
engage in any violence, they prevented the
women from leaving the area for up to
three hours and should be convicted of
false imprisonment.
Prosecuting Counsel Sean Gillane told the
jury the central question they had to
answer was not a political one.
He said although many political topics
were brought up during the trial, the jury
was there to decide on the facts of what
happened on 15 November 2014 and if
there had been a transgression of the
criminal law.
He said the prosecution was not arguing
against the right to protest but it had its
limitations.
The Constitution guaranteed "the right to
protest and express ourselves but also
gave us the right to be free. If the organs
of the State such as judges, garda, the
army or men in white coats were not
allowed to detain people because they
didn't agree with their politics then why
would we allow Paul Murphy or the other
defendants to do it?"
He said Solidarity TD Paul Murphy was one
of those who surrounded both cars
carrying Ms Burton and had gestured to
others to do so.
He was also instrumental in taking a vote
on the day "to keep her here or let her go".
Mr Gillane said this was a vote on what to
do with another human being. It did not
matter that Mr Murphy voted for the
second option, to slow march in front of
the car.
This, he said, was another form of
confinement. It was not democracy it was
a betrayal or inversion of democracy.
Defence counsel argued that the men had
taken part in a peaceful political protest
and could not be held responsible for the
violence of others that day.
They said the protest has been infiltrated
and hijacked by others with an ulterior
motive.
They said their clients had obstructed a
vehicle but their actions did not amount to
false imprisonment.
They said Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell
were placed in the cars on garda advice
and remained in the cars on the same
advice.
Any threat to their safety was not caused
by the six men on trial, they said.
They also said it was unprecedented for
political protesters to be charged with
such a serious offence and said there were
a range of lesser offences available under
the Public Order Act.
They also criticised the handling of the
protest by garda and said they were
looking for someone to blame for their
mistakes.
Garda were accused of being heavy
handed when they arrested some of the
accused men in "dawn raids" on their
homes.
Defence counsel said Paul Murphy had
been targeted for who he was rather than
what he had done and it was bizarre that
he and councillor Michael Murphy, who had
been proposing a solution to the problem,
on the day ended up on trial.
In her charge to the jury on Monday, Judge
Melanie Greally said the key issues to
decide were whether or not the protest
was peaceful, was Ms Burton merely
obstructed or delayed, or was there total
restraint with no other means to leave the
area, and if so, did the six men on trial do
this intentionally.
At the start of the trial in April all six

pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning
Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell in Jobstown in
Dublin on 15 November 2014.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, who is 34 and
from Kingswood Heights in Tallaght,
Councillor Michael Murphy, who is 53 and
from Whitechurch Way in Ballyboden in
Dublin, Councillor Kieran Mahon, who is 39
and from Bolbrook Grove in Tallaght, 34-
year-old Scott Masterson, from Carrigmore
Drive in Tallaght, 71-year-old Frank
Donaghy from Alpine Rise in Tallaght, and
46-year-old Michael Banks from Brookview
Green in Tallaght.
The charges against 50-year-old Ken
Purcell from Kiltalown Green in Tallaght
were dropped at an earlier stage in the
trial.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0629/886505-jobstown/
Jobstown Not Guilty
If Verdict is in: NOT GUILTY.
Now, let demand they drop the charges against the remaining defendants and overturn
the judgement against the 17 year old using evidence dis-proven by this case.
The Labour party leadership in Ireland, haven't got the capacity to realise
the damage the have done to themselves and the wider membership, this
will reverberate through the entire political establishment. Justice for a
man who has stood up for the downtrodden, the disenfranchised and the
vulnerable. Just great news.
They are completely delusional. They believe that the support of J.C. means that the
equivalent will happen in this country.
i see r.t.e have dropped the tag from solidarity t.d paul
murphy to socialist t.d
paul murphy like its a bad thing. they must not have heard
of corbyn, sanders e.t.c ;-)
i see r.t.e have dropped the tag from solidarity t.d paul murphy to
socialist t.d
paul murphy like its a bad thing. they must not have heard of
corbyn, sanders e.t.c
Satire at it's best

#Jobstownnotguilty
There should be a verdict today in the Jobstown trial. Best of luck to these 6 cool
dudes. #JobstownNotGuilty #FightThePower
Addressing the jury on policing, she said they should consider the absence
of garda statements raised questions about the fairness of the
investigation and whether there was any policing agenda, in particular in
relation to Paul Murphy.
She asked the jury to consider whether a third form of egress for the garda
jeep down Fortunestown Road could have been reasonable.
She had already advised them of two other possible means of leaving -
leaving the jeep or reversing it back.
A third possibility for you to consider is the course which was actually pursued,
namely egress down Fortunestown Road, she said. That egress was surrounded
by gardai and commotion and chaos and certain acts of violence but it is open to
you to find that progress down the road, however slowly, was open to them.
Continuing with her re-charging of the jury, the judge said the prosecutions case
had been that there was a continuum of events. It was accepted by the
prosecution that if the jury was not satisfied there was total restraint of the two
women in the first garda vehicle, the Avensis, the prosecutions case falls at the
first hurdle.
Leo can't have Joan Burton, who is politically "dead person walking", getting more
headlines than him.
The Verdict in the Jobstown trial is now due. Just as social movements
are challenging the status quo around the world, the backward
establishment are engaging in a stitch-up of peaceful protesters
This case effects us all. Whether the defendants are found guilty or
innocent, we must understand that a threat to our right to protest against
inequality and injustice cannot be accepted
At the same time, establishment politicians and their supportive media

will do everything they can to preserve the conservative status quo. An
aspect of the Jobstown trials are an open attack on Solidarity, our TD Paul
Murphy and the idea of a left alternative growing in this country
Jeremy Corbyn, in fighting "for the many, not the few" has shown that
despite all the attacks from right wing politicians and the media, left ideas
are on the rise, left ideas are popular and left ideas can win
Join us at this important rally. All are welcome to come along and take
part in a discussion about the injustice of the system and how we can
unite social movements into a powerful force to take on the vested
interests that dominate society.
.@campaignforleo on
#JobstownNotGuilty in 2014.
"Thuggery" "Not a peaceful protest"
"Marxist-Leninist republic" #Morto4Leo
Mick Barry reads the names of the
people acquitted in the Jobstown Trial
& asks the Tnaiste was there an
orchestrated conspiracy by Garda
https://video-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.1790-
2/19588502_120172701920820_6830206114810822656_n.mp4?
efg=eyJybHIiOjMwMCwicmxhIjo3MjQsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoic3ZlX3NkIn0%3D&rl
=300&vabr=120&oh=8faf8c631ee7012ebaef5b70897c7abb&oe=595525D0
All six defendants found not guilty in Jobstown trial

Thursday, June 29, 2017
In the Dail chamber the outcome of the Jobstown trial has
been labelled a "stunning defeat" for the government by
Solidarity TD Mick Barry.
Meanwhile,Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald has denied there

was any government agenda at stake in its prosecution or
outcome.
Update:12:22pm: All six defendants in the Jobstown trial

have been found not guilty.
View image on Twitter

Follow
Emma McMenamy @emmamcm

Outside court after verdict. More @DublinLive
@IrishMirror #JOBSTOWN
1:00 PM - 29 Jun 2017
Retweets1 1 like
Follow
Orla O'Donnell
@Orlaodo
Crowds gathering outside the courts awaiting
the six former defendants. @rtenews
#Jobstown
12:37 PM - 29 Jun 2017
2 2 Retweets1 1 like
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five other men have been

found not guilty of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan
Burton and her adviser during a 2014 water charges
protest.
The jury of seven men and four women returned the

unanimous verdicts today after just over three hours of
deliberations.

midday.
There were cheers of No way, we won't pay and several

supporters broke down in tears.
Defendants in the Jobstown trial led by (LtoR) Michael

Banks, Ken Purcell, Paul Murphy TD and Scott Masterson
leave the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after they were all
found not guilty on charges of the false imprisonment of
then Tanaiste Joan Burton at a water protest in Jobstown in
2014. Picture: Collins Courts.
Paul Murphy, South Dublin County Councillors Michael

Murphy and Kieran Mahon, Scott Masterson, Frank
Donaghy and Michael Banks were on trial in Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court for over two months.
They nodded and smiled as the not guilty verdicts were
handed down.
They had pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms

Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell by restricting their
personal liberty without their consent at Fortunestown
Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
Follow
Orla O'Donnell
@Orlaodo
Media waiting for #jobstown defendants to
come out. All six found not guilty. @rtenews
12:30 PM - 29 Jun 2017
4 4 Retweets1 1 like
Follow
alana fearon @lansy12

One for the little people and democracy
#jobstown #JobstownNotGuilty
12:26 PM - 29 Jun 2017
It is a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life

imprisonment.
The charges against a seventh accused, Mr Purcell (50), of
Kiltalown Green, Tallaght, were dropped towards the end
of the prosecution case after Judge Greally ruled that the
extension of his garda detention in February 2015 was
unlawful.
Judge Greally thanked the jury for their exemplary

service and told them they had shown extreme bravery
and courage in taking on the case. A juror was discharged
halfway through the trial for personal reasons.
further cheers in court as she told the six men they were
free to go.
Defendants in the Jobstown trial led by Michael Banks

(speaking) and Paul Murphy TD leave the Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court.
women were attending a graduation ceremony at An
Cosn adult education centre in Jobstown when
demonstrations broke out around them. The jury heard
they were detained in vehicles for three hours as they
attempted to leave the area.
The prosecution case was that by surrounding the cars,

the accused men engaged in a joint enterprise to trap
the women and totally restrain their liberty.
The defence argued that their clients engaged in a

peaceful protest and this could not amount to false
imprisonment. They submitted that at worst, their clients
were engaged in obstructing a vehicle or delaying and
inconveniencing the women.
Follow
Orla O'Donnell
@Orlaodo
Judge greally addresses jury, thanks them for
bravery and reaching verdict in just and proper
manner. #jobstown
12:22 PM - 29 Jun 2017
Follow
McConnellDaniel @McConnellDaniel
BREAKING Paul Murphy TD and 5 others found
not guilty of falsely imprisoning Joan Burton in
Jobstown in 2014 #iestaff
12:25 PM - 29 Jun 2017
Follow
This is a stunning defeat for the political
establishment says Mick Barry in Dail #iestaff
12:27 PM - 29 Jun 2017
Earlier:The jury in the trial of six men accused of falsely

imprisoning Joan Burton and her adviser have asked the
court to replay some video footage.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five others are alleged to

have committed the offences during a water charge
protest in Jobstown in Dublin in 2014, they deny the
charges.
It is the prosecutions case that the women were trapped

inside two Garda vehicles when protesters surrounded
them as they tried to leave.
Before the jurors resumed their deliberations this morning,

they asked for footage taken above the protest by a Garda
helicopter to be replayed.
The jury foreperson said they wanted to see if one of the

vehicles they were in could have reversed away from the
area.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/all-six-defendants-found-not-
guilty-in-jobstown-trial-795663.html
Lawyer blames
garda for escalation
of Jobstown protest
Updated / Wednesday, 21 Jun 2017
Six men accused of the false imprisonment of former

tnaiste Joan Burton and her adviser at a water
charges protest in 2014
Lawyers for a county councillor who is one
of the defendants in the Jobstown trial has
told a jury the root cause for the
escalation of a water charges protest
should be laid firmly at the door of garda.
Closing arguments are continuing in the
trial of six men accused of the false
imprisonment of former tnaiste Joan
Burton and her adviser at a water charges
protest in 2014.
Senior Counsel Raymond Comyn,
representing Cllr Michael Murphy, said
garda lost an opportunity to negotiate
with protesters while the situation was
calm.
A decision to allow Ms Burton leave the
church and be placed in a garda car was
the foundation for what happened later and
led to the temperature of the protest to
flare rapidly, he said.
Mr Comyn said any opportunity to
negotiate after that was lost. He said the
evidence of a leading garda that he was
waiting for reinforcements before
formulating a plan was akin to the
"Keystone Cops".
"I don't need to tell you about the crucial
nature of dialogue in a situation like this,
why was it left until things flared up?," he
said.
Mr Comyn said it beggared belief that Cllr
Murphy ended up being charged because
he was one of those who tried to calm the
protesters and move the protest along.
He said the jury would have been left with
an utterly different impression about
Michael Murphy's intent that day had it not
been for the video footage discovered by
the defence.
The video showed Cllr Murphy proposing to
move the protest on while another woman
proposed keeping her there.
He said it was an inversion of logic that
the man who was promoting a solution to
the problem was now before a court where
a woman on the video who promoted the
problem was never even identified or
tracked down by garda.
Mr Comyn said something is rotten at the
core of this investigation and the manner
in which evidence was given.
"Something that leaves one with a very
uneasy and very distasteful taste form the
evidence and the way it was given that
was demonstrably incorrect and wrong."
He said Cllr Murphy was entitled to

fairness and the only way to vindicate that
entitlement was to return a verdict of not
guilty.
Mahon counsel says 'series of mistakes'
made by garda
Defence Counsel Kerida Naidoo,
representing Cllr Kieran Mahon, said what
the prosecution was trying to do was
unprecedented in Irish legal history.
"Never in the history of the republic has
any Irish jury been asked to convict
anyone of the crime of false imprisonment
where the allegation against them is that
they engaged in peaceful protest and not
involved in any violence," he said.
He said while others not in this trial had
been charged with violent disorder and
false imprisonment his client was not
charged with any violent disorder.
If this was the case he could not be guilty
of false imprisonment, he said.
Mr Naidoo said a series of mistakes were
made on the day by garda.
"If they made mistakes on the day it is
unfair to visit those mistakes on Kieran
Mahon when he didn't say boo to a goose
all day,"
Mr Naidoo said the significance of political
protest could not be overstated - Mr Mahon
had challenged the political establishment
and changed society.
He said the prosecution was asking the
jury to send out a message that if you
behaved peacefully at a protest but others
did not, you could still be put on trial for a
very serious offence.
He said witnesses in the case like Ms
Burton and Ms OConnell said they were all
in favour of political protest but what they
meant was ineffectual political protest
"which does not affect them".
"They would have loved a line of Fr Dougals
and Fr Teds impotently standing there and
softly chanting 'down with this sort of
thing'. But meaningful political protest is
the sort that (causes a party) to go from
having 36 seats to six seats and that is the
kind of protest they don't want."
He said there was not a hint of hostility
from Mr Mahon throughout the event. Video
footage showed him walking away from the
car when garda said the false
imprisonment began.
"Could there be clearer evidence of
someone having nothing to do with it? He
is walking away from the crime being
committed."
Mr Mahon could also be seen standing at
the back and to the side of the crowd. He
sat down in front of a car for five minutes
and got up himself without resisting
garda, Mr Naidoo said.
He said the reason Ms Burton and Ms
OConnell did not get out of the cars was
because they were in fear of those
engaging in violent disorder.
Mr Mahon was not charged with violent
disorder, Mr Naidoo said, and had no hand,
act or part in it nor did he advocate or
encourage it.
He said it was reasonable for the jury to
wonder why Cllr Mahon was isolated for
special treatment and arrested in a dawn
raid at his home having earlier told garda
he was willing to cooperate.
"If this not a political trial why are public
enemies number one, two and three all anti
austerity politicians? Why not run the trial
of the people accused of the violence
first?", he said.
Neither Ms Burton nor Ms O'Connell
actually went to garda, he added.
Garda came to them to have them make
statements.
He said he had "no choice but to call it
what it was - abuse of power by the garda
to show him who was boss and to
humiliate him in his own home. To send out
the message clearly that he is not a
politician he is actually just a criminal and
is going to be treated as one by the
garda."
He said Cllr Mahon was elected by the
people to oppose water charges and that is
what he did in taking the protest to the
politician in government who had promised
not to introduce the charges.
He said it would be a grave injustice and
unfairness to him if he were to be
convicted, not because of his politics but
because he was not guilty of false
imprisonment.
Closing arguments for the remaining three
defendants will be heard tomorrow.
jobstowndefendantstocomeout.Allsixfoundnotguilty.@
Mediawaitingfor# rtenews
https://www.rte.ie/news/court
s/2017/0621/884466-
jobstown/
Jobstown trial: Labour Party
reacts to not guilty verdicts
Independents4Change TD Joan Collins: Result is victory
for ability to peacefully protest
about an hour ago
Mary Minihan
Defendants in the Jobstown trial (left to right) Michael Banks,

Ken Purcell, Paul Murphy TD and Scott Masterson leave the
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after being found not guilty on
charges of the false imprisonment. Photograph: Collins Courts
Labour has reacted after Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and
five others were found not guilty of the false imprisonment
of former party leader Joan Burton and her assistant
during a water charges protest in 2014.
NOT GUILTY. I welcome the unanimous not guilty verdict of the
jury. #jobstown #jobstownnotguilty
NOT GUILTY. I welcome the unanimous not guilty verdict of the
jury. #jobstown #jobstownnotguilty with Helena McGee, Ann Gardiner, Margo
McGee, Fionnuala Greene, Paddy Healy, Pat English and Rs Stafford.
I believe that senior garda should be held to account for this fiasco this case should
never have taken place nb for the garda stay the fuck out of politics and do your job in
the non bias way that your paid to do
The Labour Party responds...
What the people gained today their right to protest and to hold those acountable should
be next. The labour party made a hugh error in allowing those that vote for, and pay
your salary to be put in this position in the first place..hopefully today is a major step
for the worker and little people so called as people power will grow and take back what
our forefathers fought for the freedom of our country
RT News on Twitter
Mick Barry reads the names of the people acquitted in the Jobstown Trial & asks the
Tnaiste was there an orchestrated conspiracy by Garda https://t.co/AWwhJ7Ej3O
This is the moment Mick Barry TD announced the verdict of the Jobstown
Trials. He got the result 60 seconds before he stood up!
Look at Brendan Howlin's face when it pans to him!
https://www.facebook.com/solidarityie/
Brendan Howlin when Solidarity TD, Mick Barry, announced the verdict in
the Dil today
Labour Party are a shower of sell out traitors. Only way to describe
them now is history and their bride of chucky Burton got what was
coming to her
Another dictator who wouldn't give members a vote to elect him ,wanted to be
appointed without a vote , the party of Connolly my arse.
If he had one ounce of decency in him, he would have tried to get Burton to withdraw the
charges via his sister in law, but no. They all thought they could finish off the thorn in their side,
Paul Murphy. Well now Howlin, Burton and the rest of you listen up you are as good as dead and
buried as far as politics go. Bye bye
Labour are finished they should have stopped this farce, 13 million this cost us, and
more trials to follow Shame on labour Time Joan her aide and the gardai who lied face
perjury charges Well done the decent garda in the helicopter he told it like it was
id you hear their statement on one o'clock radio news? They are distancing themselves
but it's the last nail in their coffin I hope
Labour should call it a day and end it as a party. They betrayed the people that voted
for them and will never be forgiven.
Verdict is in: NOT GUILTY
https://www.faceboo
k.com/solidarityie/
The establishment tried to lock up Paul Murphy and other Solidarity reps because they
fear the rise of a real principled left. They failed - now let's build that left alternative.
https://www.faceboo
k.com/solidarityie/
JOBSTOWN NOT GUILTY VERDICT! BIG VICTORY FOR
DEMOCRACY AND THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST WATER
CHARGES!
http://wp.me/pKzXa-nC
Burton(LABOUR) Should Resign From The Dil and let the
people decide her fate in a Bye-Election
Congratulations to all the Defendants and to all their
supporters!
Abolish Water Charges!!!

JOBSTOWN NOT GUILTY VERDICT! BIG VICTORY FOR DEMOCRACY
AND THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST WATER CHARGES! Burton(LABOUR)
Should Resign From The Dil and let the people decide her fate in a
Bye-Election Congra
JOBSTOWN NOT GUILTY VERDICT! BIG
VICTORY FOR DEMOCRACY AND THE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST WATER CHARGES!
Burton(LABOUR) Should Resign From The
Dil and let the people decide her fate in a
Bye-Election
Congratulations to all the Defendants and to
all their supporters!
Example of Gross Deception and
Manipulation of Information on Water
Charges-Colm McCarthy Pretends not to
Know that we Pay Already for Water. He
wants us to pay a Second Time!! He is a
Professor of Economics. He Knows!
Seamus Healy TD : We Already Pay For Water. We will not pay a
second time
Fine Gael, the Endapendents, Labour, the Greens, and indeed
Fianna Fil must not be allowed to restore water charges. They will
also attempt to increase PAYE and VAT to make us pay for water a
second time. We are already paying for water services through
existing general taxation. But the money has been diverted to other
purposes including tax concessions to the very rich.
We are already paying by law. After the humiliation of Fine Gael,
Labour and Workers Party candidates by anti-water charges
campaigner Joe Higgins in the 1996 bye-election, Brendan Howlin
from the then FG-Lab-DL government abolished water charges and
transferred the cost on to motor tax and other existing duties and
fees in the 1997 Act.
Fair water charges would stop

outpouring of anger
The current Dail will not legislate for water
charges, but a future Dail will have to address
the issue, writes Economist Colm McCarthy
OUTCRY: Thousands of protesters took part in the anti-water
charges rally in Dublin earlier this month Photo: Tony Gavin
April 16 2017 2:30 AM
The report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Future Funding

of Domestic Water Services was released on Wednesday last. The
report declines, up front and openly, to outline any plan for the
future financing of the water industry, which is what the committee
was asked to do.
Instead the operating shortfall of the water industry and the
enormous capital bill for rehabilitation of the system are both to be
financed from something called general taxation, a bountiful
treasure chest nestling undiscovered in the basement of the
Department of Finance.
This secret stash contains nothing as boring as ordinary money,
which can only be spent once, but is a magic and inexhaustible
currency made of premium elastic and capable of postponing
political choices forever.
The last governments original plan was to reduce by about half the
prospective water bill arising from the scheme announced by the
predecessor Fianna Fail/Green administration. The reduction was to
be achieved through fixing the annual charge for most households
at 260, defrayed to a net 160 via a water conservation grant of
100, coincidentally bringing the net cost to the level of the
television licence fee.
The 260 gross figure would have been enough to ensure that
annual revenue would appear to cover 50pc of operating costs and
to permit the government to pretend that Irish Water was a
commercial semi-State company. The 50pc cost-recovery figure was
felt to be acceptable to the EU statistical office, Eurostat. This was
important since it would have meant that Irish Waters debt could
be hidden off the governments balance sheet as if it was a largely
self-financing commercial operation, permitting extra government
spending while appearing to stay within the EUs fiscal prudence
guidelines.
The jockey fell off this unfancied horse, not once but twice. Eurostat
declined to go along with it and the free water campaigner Paul
Murphy won the Dublin South West by-election in October 2014. All
three of the main political parties converted to free water, with Sinn
Fein the first domino to fall. This brought down the Fianna Fail
domino prior to the February 2016 General Election and Fine Gael
has now keeled over to complete the collapse.
The joint committees report must now be cloaked in some kind of
legislative fig-leaf, maintaining the pretence of a charging regime in
the hope, apparently vain, of staying inside the requirements of the
EUs Water Framework Directive. This was enacted as far back as
the year 2000 with Irelands support, subject to a temporary
derogation.
Roughly 8pc of urban households could now end up paying for
excessive water use and it is the devout wish of the committee,
and presumably of the Government, that the European Commission
does not subscribe to the Irish newspapers and will not understand
what has happened. Ireland will thus escape, they hope, numerous
millions in fines for failure to implement the directive. Should the
fines be imposed, this can be blamed on the ever-available Brussels
bureaucrats.
The committee has recommended full refunds for those who paid
up, which should please several Sinn Fein members who indicated
their intention to pay prior to their misadventure in Dublin South
West. About two-thirds of the liable public either paid or signed up
to do so, and almost one million households coughed up 163m.
But the water conservation grant cost 89m, and the intention,
apparently, is to make refunds on a net basis. This will be tricky:
the 100 grant was paid unconditionally, without any requirement
to do any water conservation. Not even a plastic bucket in the back
garden. Some people who did not pay the charge, or who had no
liability, appear to have helped themselves to the 100 grant, and
retrieving this money should be fun to watch.
Irish Water, between operating losses and the bill for overdue
capital works, will now be short in excess of 1bn per annum in
cash. The committee is anxious to protect this financial gem from
the calamity of privatisation, presumed to be an imminent threat.
To this end, it has recommended a referendum to enshrine in the
constitution Irish Waters status as a publicly-owned financial
albatross. If Oireachtas members are anxious to abdicate legislative
responsibility for loss-making State enterprises, there are other
candidates losing prodigious amounts of money with no private
suitors. Surely Irish Rail is equally deserving? What about the road
network, or the Phoenix Park?
The willingness of elected politicians to abdicate by referendum
(take a bow, David Cameron) has been a feature of the lurch to
populism, in the form of some notion that democracy by plebiscite
is inherently superior to the deliberations of elected representatives.
The current Dail contains, and amongst the Right2Water deputies,
several vociferous opponents of the 1983 abortion amendment, on
the grounds that such matters should not be enshrined in the
constitution but should be left to the wisdom of the legislature. Even
if the privatisation of Irish Water was going to be feasible in their
lifetimes, which looks unlikely, why should the matter be any
different?
It is clear that the current Dail will not legislate for water charges
but some future Dail will have to address the issue. An important
factor in the Right2Water campaign was the perception that the
water charge, which might have been acceptable on its own if
handled with more political skill, was coming on top of a succession
of new tax impositions since 2009.
The correction to the Irish public finances owes more to taxes and
charges than it does to expenditure cuts, notably the Universal
Social Charge, the increase in VAT, the household property tax and
numerous other overt and concealed impositions.
There was an element of enough is enough about the street
protests, fuelled also by the entirely accurate perception that the
European Central Bank had imposed illegitimate bondholder pay-
offs on Irish taxpayers.
But there is an additional annoyance factor. Most people pay most
of their taxes without pain-in-the-neck compliance costs.
Excise duty and VAT is collected by retailers, most income tax and
USC by employers, so there are no demands from the Government
demanding one-off lump-sum payments. But the property tax was
new, fighting for space in the letter-box with car tax, NCT renewals,
the TV licence fee and now the water bill.
There are two costs to dealing with unwelcome fan mail from the
Government, the cash cost and the hassle. The latter is exacerbated
by the multiplicity of payment platforms and the codology with PIN
numbers. If Aer Lingus and Ryanair made it so hard to pay, they
would never fly again.
One of the once-off payments, the TV licence fee, cannot be long for
this world. It is becoming uncollectible and recent proposals to
extend it to laptops and (large!) smartphones look incapable of
implementation.
Perhaps public broadcasting is a genuine candidate for subvention
from our good friend general taxation, and when the time comes to
scrap it, the opportunity could be taken to build a single platform to
collect all of the household-based taxes and charges in a more user-
friendly fashion.
Including a fair charging scheme for water.
Sunday Independent
Joan the moan.
Massive exhale of breath. Fantastic news. Sit down,
disruptive protests that delay politicians are not false
imprisonment. The right to protest is protected. The
establishment is defeated again. Shame on the Labour
Party!
Jobstown verdict: NOT GUILTY! Shame on those in the State, in government and in the
Labour Party that dragged these brave activists through the courts. We have a right to
protest
#JobstownNotGuilty
"The right to protest is a democratic and hard-won right. It cannot be
brushed aside or diluted to suit a political agenda."
Even now, the establishment will attempt to downplay this victory...
Perhaps #CopOnComrades might comment on this from "Journalist,

broadcaster, and commentator. Feminist" Alison O'Connor after hearing
the Not Guilty verdict or is their ire saved exclusively for working class
types like Frankie Gaffney?
Im Terrified
Joan Smiling while chatting on Her Phone, Does This Picture Show A False
Imprisonment , Joan Smiling and Chatting Joan on her phone
TD Paul Murphy and five other men were found not guilty of falsely
imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan Burton shortly after midday today.
There were jubilant scenes outside the court.
2/19566222_146528752585170_1652590384846471168_n.mp4?
efg=eyJybHIiOjQzMiwicmxhIjo1MTIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoic3ZlX3NkIn0%
3D&rl=432&vabr=240&oh=d53090bfe56904d8ff85b1d6898e0c4a&oe=5955
326D
Burton Blocks Exits As Jobstown 6 Attempt To
Leave Court
Burton Blocks Exits As Jobstown 6 Attempt To Leave Court
WATERFORDWHISPERSNEWS.COM
ATTEMPTS to remove Joan Burton from the front doors of Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court are entering their second hour, with the former Tainiste
refusing to allow the acquitted members of the so-called Jobstown 6 to leave
the courtroom.
It is believed that Burton is protesting against the Not guilty verdict handed
down to the six men, including Solidarity TD and total rockstar Paul Murphy,
relating to the 2014 incident in which Ms. Burton and her advisor Karen
OConnell were detained against their will by a water protest rally
spearheaded by Murphy in Jobstown.
The trial, dubbed by many to be the most important and worthwhile use of
Garda resources and taxpayer money in the history of the State, ended today
when the jury found the defendants not guilty after three hours of
deliberations, prompting Burton to fly into a rage and barricade the exits of
the court, helped by Ms. OConnell.
With Burton and OConnell now sitting linked-armed in front of the court,
attempts are being made by Garda to reason with the women to allow TD
Murphy to go on his way.
I mean, theres no way theyre guilty of anything, it seems, said one baffled
spectator.
The Jobstown 6 could go out the back door, Burton isnt blocking that but
they cant go out this way, and she is protesting there, as is her right as a
citizen of Ireland, so I suppose this is headed towards another massive,
expensive trial down the way? Or everyone could just admit how silly this all
is? This being Ireland, Im sure well sort this all out promptly and in a cost
effective manner.
Meanwhile, Paul Murphy is demanding to be freed at once, so he can attend a

rally he has organised for himself entitled hurrah for Paul Murphy, champion
of the people, where he will be carried through the streets by thousands of
voters.
http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2017/06/29/burton-blocks-exits-
as-jobstown-6-attempt-to-leave-court/
Liz Howlin is responsible for these malicious changes, she is one evil, person who
should lose her job for wasting tax payers money and destroying peoples lives yet
again
TRAITORS SHOULD BE LOCKED UP.
Look everyone: these people are but the tip of a very large pyramid of corruption that
stinks to high Heaven and this same Pyramid is in existence since the foundation of
this State. Believe me, there is nothing new regarding jobbery and corruption in the
highest places in Ireland: in fact, the higher up one goes, the more offensive the stench
of corruption.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=790826614386627&set=a.345126128956680.1073741826.1000037788
89124&type=3&theater
WHAT A FOOKING IDIOT: SUCK IT UP LEO, WE ARE ONLY
STARTING
Newsworthy_ie on Twitter
.@campaignforleo on #JobstownNotGuilty in 2014. "Thuggery" "Not
a peaceful protest" "Marxist-Leninist republic" #Morto4Leo
https://t.co/q7iTr4bwcT
TWITTER.COM
JoanBurton Liar, Liar, Liar #JobstownNotGuilty

joanburton Jobstown under attack, in her own words june 29th 2017
2/18150364_422777331424722_5997455708948267008_n.mp4?
efg=eyJybHIiOjMyMCwicmxhIjo1MTIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoic3ZlX3NkIn0
%3D&rl=320&vabr=178&oh=7ceb6305631664f0d1f5a30ea2f5f440&oe=595
549DF
Try telling the truth be something new
for the "guardians of the peace " a
corrupt bunch of liars .the mafia would
only be in a minor league compared to
these crooks
O'Sullivan calls for

cultural renewal in
An Garda Sochna
Nirn O'Sullivan said she is not satisfied with the

speed of progress
Garda Commissioner Nirn O'Sullivan has
said the top priority in the modernisation
programme in An Garda Sochna is
cultural renewal.
Speaking to a public session of the
Policing Authority at Dublin Castle. Ms
O'Sullivan said cultural renewal will mean
taking the good things like the esprit de
corps and can-do attitude and working on
the things that are not so good.
Bob Collins for the authority noted that one
year on from the Government decision on
civilianization there is no five-year plan
and no recruitment in some posts already
agreed.
The commissioner said she is not satisfied
with the speed of progress, saying MRP
stands for Modernisation and Renewal
Programme, but she would like to see it
also come to mean make rapid progress.
Mr Collins said there is a target of 500
civilian staff to be recruited this year, and
halfway into the year he is not optimistic it
will be met.
Ms O'Sullivan said she would welcome any
help getting the 500 civilians in and she
identified where roles can be filled by
civilians.
She said there are industrial issues around

taking civilian staff into An Garda
Sochna and it will take a cultural change.
Policing Authority Chairman Josephine
Feehily said recruitment is a slow pipeline
and the authority needs a steady stream of
submissions for appointments from garda
management to keep appointments
flowing.
Ms O'Sullivan said progress on
civilianisation is the one issue she would
like to see delivered within the next six
months.
The commissioner said the progress to
date she is most satisfied with is the
change in public perception of the An
Garda Sochna.
She said that in April 2014 it had fallen to
an all-time low of 46% satisfaction, and
today it is at an all-time high.
Meanwhile... *cough Splutter*

nearly choked on reading this.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0629/886567-policing-authority/
Try telling the truth be something new for the "guardians of the peace " a corrupt bunch
of liars .the mafia would only be in a minor league compared to these crooks
Former Environment Editor of the Irish Times thinks that justice should
have thrown away the key regardless.
This is the establishment acting out when things don't go their way. Rarely
do you get to see it so brazen but there it is...
Right in front of you.
Another dark shadow hanging over Noreens corrupt,lying force.How can anybody have
confidence in a Garda who lie under oath.Scum of the earth
Roughly translated : We got caught out so we're going into the shadows with our tails
between our legs..... One of the greatest farces in the history of the state......
The guards are corrupt from top to bottom... Not fit for purpose & will never get back
the trust of the very people they claim to serve. Wan**rs.
Every Garda whose statement was different in court to the one they sent to the dpp
should be prosecuted
Time to go after every single one of them that lied under oath and Sue them all
180 gardai or roughly 1.5% of the total force.....Im sure thousands others would of done
the same....bootlickers
Even in their official statements, they can't keep to the truth...
Just because Justice was served today, doesn't mean we should forget
what went on here...
What this Show Trial revealed is shocking. That a sham Trial like this could
ever have reached a Court Room to begin with.
Questions need to be asked and answers demanded before this happens
again because if something isn't done to remedy this situation then it wil
After the Jobstown verdict Joan Burton should retire from politics and
public life. She and her party have shown themselves to be a
conservative force- directed against the working class they claim to
represent.
Joan Burton cooperated with a state frame up of the Jobstown
activists- a frame up which fell apart because of flimsy evidence
from dozens of Guards, which contradicted video footage, and
because a jury of ordinary people could see through the spin and
the lies.
The Irish Labour Party is finished as a political force. When they
criticise Corbyn's radical policies they only reveal how out of touch
they are. Brendan Howlin condemned Corbyn's anti-austerity politics
as being like 'Solidarity- People Before Profit'. We take that as a
compliment. We stand up for the majority of people. We will fight for
an Ireland for the people, North and South.
Hey, Labour this one's for you.
'I'm choking back tears': Relief

and vindication after Jobstown
not guilty verdict
There was jubilation outside the court today as supporters and the
accused celebrated the not guilty verdict.
June 29, 17
OUTSIDE THE COURT today, there was chanting, relief and
feelings of vindication from the six men and their supporters
as they celebrated the not guilty verdicts in the Jobstown
false imprisonment trial.
The men were accused of falsely imprisoning former
Tnaiste Joan Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell on
Fortunestown road in Jobstown, during a water charges
protest in November 2014.
After the verdicts were read out, supporters filtered out with
signs and placards, before TD Paul Murphy and other men
accused exited the building to rapturous applause.
Addressing the media outside, Councillor Michael Murphy,
one of the accused, said that the court case was brought
simply because it was a water charges protest.
This whole process was inspired by an attempt to vilify and
split the anti-water charges movement, he said. A lurid
picture of a so-called sinister fringe was painted by
establishment politicians and their friends in the media.
Paul Murphy, similarly, was very critical of the role that the
garda played in the trial.
Source: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie
On Monday, Judge Melanie Greally explicitly told the jury
that the evidence given by members of An Garda Sochana
contradicted what was seen in the video evidence. Paul
Murphy said: These seven people have had this hanging
over them for over two years and have spent eleven weeks in
court. They are now vindicated and walk out of court proven
to be protesters rather than the kidnappers Joan Burton and
the Gardai said they were.
This was a politically driven investigation vindictively
designed to punish those who fought against water charges
and wounded the political vanity of Joan Burton. It was an
attempt to criminalise the largest movement of people
power in decades, by presenting sit-down protests as false
imprisonment.
Fellow TDs came out to court to show support for Murphy
and the other men after the verdicts were announced.
Speaking at the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice,

Solidarity TD Mick Barry told TheJournal.ie: Im choking
back tears to be honest. I got a text about 60 seconds before
I was due to stand up in the Dil for Leaders Questions.
I got to break the news to Frances Fitzgerald and Brendan
Howlin This verdict is great for the six men, but its also
great for the working class. The jury has defended the right
to protest.
Barry added that the case had opened up an appalling
vista for An Garda Sochana. Theres a lot of questions to
be answered and well be pressing that home after the
celebrations, he said.
He said the acquittal was a stunning defeat of the
government.
Also in attendance after the verdict was Solidarity-PBP TD
Brd Smith. She told TheJournal.ie: Im absolutely
delighted. This was a very, very serious charge indeed.
Thank god we have juries in this country, she added,
before saying that serious questions now lay with the garda
for statements given during the trial.
http://www.thejournal.ie/jobstown-verdict-reaction-
3469912-Jun2017/
Source: Sean Murray/Twitter
In response to a request from TheJournal.ie, An Garda
Sochana said: An Garda Siochana do not comment on
matters which are or have been before the courts.
In a statement reacting to the verdict, the Labour Party said:
We note the verdict of the jury announced earlier
today. The investigation of any criminal matter, and the
conduct of any associated prosecution, is decided by An
Garda Sochna and the law officers of the state who operate
with complete independence from the political system.
TheJournal.ie has sent in a request for Joan Burtons
reaction to todays verdicts.
A jubilant crowd cheered all of the defendants on the steps
of the Criminal Courts of Justice, staying around well after
the verdict.
Press Statement by Seamus Healy
TD, Member of Oireachtas
Committee on Future Funding of
Water Services
Fianna Fil Cave in on Water Charges
Assisted by Labour and the GreensWater
Charges Can Now Be Phased back in to
Operation over Time, Probably After the Next
General Election!
Fianna Fil yesterday voted against several amendments to the
recommendations on water charges which Fianna Fil, itself,
proposed last week.
On all key row-back amendments, the Labour Party, the Greens and
Noel Grealish (IND) voted with FF and Fine Gael at the Committee
Then the Labour Party and the Greens, hard-line supporters of
charging for water generally, cynically voted against the final report
Seamus Healy TD, Thomas Pringle TD, Sinn Fein and Solidarity
voted against all FF U-turns and against the final report.
However, it is important to recognise that gains won by anti-water
charge campaigners are retained. There will be no immediate return
to general water charges. Those who didnt pay will not be pursued
and those who did pay will receive refunds. The metering of
additional existing and unrefurbished dwellings remains halted. The
anti-water charges campaign has also achieved an increased
allowance for those on group schemes.
The recommendation that a referendum be held to change the
constitution to prevent privatisation of water services, also,
remains.
However the U-turn amendments make domestic water a tradeable
commodity under EU Law. Payment for excessive use to Irish Water
Ltd. commodifies water. This facilitates the phasing back in of
water charges over time. Government can reduce the free
allowance thus making increasing amounts of water chargeable.
This may also be used to prevent the holding of the anti-
privatisation referendum or to change the wording as new private
suppliers of water are entitled to enter the market under EU
Competition Law. This was facilitated by FF agreeing with FG that
the abolition of Irish Water LTD. Would be outside the terms of
reference of the Oireachtas Committee
In addition, FF have also conceded that metering of new builds and
refurbishments will continue in a further U-turn
Fianna Fil has proven again that it cannot be trusted.
We will campaign with the same vigour against these U-turns as we
campaigned for the gains already achieved.
We Already Pay For Water. We will not pay a second time.

Fine Gael, the Independents, Labour, the Greens, and indeed Fianna
Fil must not be allowed to restore water charges. They will also
attempt to increase PAYE and VAT to make us pay for water a
second time. We are already paying for water services through
existing general taxation. But the money has been diverted to other
purposes including tax concessions to the very rich.
We are already paying by law. After the humiliation of Fine Gael,
Labour and Workers Party candidates by anti-water charges
campaigner Joe Higgins in the 1996 bye-election, Brendan Howlin
from the then FG-Lab-WP government abolished water charges and
transferred the cost on to motor tax and other existing duties and
fees in the 1997 Act.
There is no technical difficulty in retrieving this money for water
services by imposing additional taxes on the massive incomes and
financial assets Irish super-rich. But Fine Gael and the
Independents, Fianna Fil, Labour and the Greens steadfastly refuse
to tax this huge wealth.
The shares and bank deposits of the Irish super-rich are now worth
35 Billion Euro more than at peak boom level in 2006 and 70 billion
above bust level in 2008. These huge gains are due to the
sacrifices and the hardship endured by the blameless majority.
When all wealth is considered, the richest 300 Irish People have
total assets of 100.03 Billion Euro, a gain of 12 billion in the past
year according to the Sunday Independent. That is an average of
333 million each.
It is time the super-rich gave back something. I will be advocating
in the Dil that significant taxes be imposed on these assets to pay
for improved public services
There must be no increase in taxation such as PAYE, VAT or Motor
Tax etc to make us pay for water a second time.
I will also be advocating at the legislative stage in the Dil that Irish
Water Ltd be abolished and its functions returned to local
authorities and the Department of the Environment.
We must remain organised in the Right2Water Campaign. Fine Gael
and the Independents, Fianna Fil, Labour, and the Greens are hell
bent on using water charges and additional taxation to soak the
citizens generally in order to protect the massive incomes and
assets of the Irish Super-Rich.
Let us continue to resist this agenda!
Water Charges Demo 08/04-Slogans Heard
We Already Pay for Water-No Way We Wont Pay (Again)
LABOUR, BLUESHIRTS, FIANNA FAIL-JAIL, JAIL, JAIL THEM ALL
Dont Stack The Jobstown Jury
-
Defend Right To Protest and Right To Free Speech

-Activists May Be Jailed To-day
Jobstown- Assembly For Justice- Protest Is not A Crime
Saturday next,Apr 1, 1 pm, Liberty Hall
It appears that the state is targeting irigs Scott Masterson and
Solidaritys Paul Murphy in particular to stop them speaking at a
Jobstown Not Guilty rally in Liberty Hall on Saturday-BE THERE!
In response to the states attempt to silence the Jobstown Not Guilty
campaign a number of defendants have tonight decided that they
will not be giving the state the bail commitments that it is seeking.
This may well result in a number of defendants having their bail revoked tomorrow
Does SIPTU Support This?
Labour Party Supports Continued Charging for
Domestic Water and Continuation of Metering of
Households
Draft Working Document of Oireachtas Committee on Future
Funding of Water Services
38. We believe that there should be a charge for excessive use and the
only way to determine that is by household meters(Labour Party)
-
Submission by Seamus Healy TD, Independent Deputy
for Co Tipperary, To the Oireachtas Commission on
Future Funding of Water Services
I contested the last general election on the basis of supporting the complete abolition of
domestic water charges . That continues to be my position. I support the funding of
domestic water services through proportional and equitable taxation of incomes . Citizens
are already paying for domestic water services through general taxation. Domestic Water
charges are a form of inequitable double taxation which bears most heavily on those on
lower incomes.
I am opposed to the commodification of domestic water services. Water must remain a

public good and must not become a marketable commodity. Accordingly I am opposed to a
charge for excessive use of domestic water. Such a charge would provide a basis for the
restoration of domestic water charges generally over time. Prevention of large scale waste
of water should occur through the imposition of legal penalties under existing legislation. If
necessary the provisions of the 2007 Act could be strengthened.
I accept the evidence of expert witnesses at the Oireachtas Committee to the effect that
attempted conservation of water through metering of domestic dwellings is ineffective and
grossly wasteful of public funds. District metering is perfectly adequate and efficient for
conservation purposes. I am opposed to the continuation of metering of domestic
dwellings.
The state should provide large scale systematic support for water conservation measures
through capital investment and grants.
I support the holding of a referendum to insert a clause into the Constitution to prohibit
the privatisation of the provision of domestic water services . In particular, I support the
amendment advocated by Senior Counsel, Samus Tuathail before the Oireachtas
Committee.
I believe that the utility company called Irish Water should be abolished and that water
services should be provided by the appropriate government ministry in co-operation with
local authorities. Employees should be offered transfer to under-staffed local authority and
central government services.
I accept the legal opinion of eminent counsel who have testified that the clause 9.4
exemption from charging for domestic water remains in place. However, should the EU
authorities refuse to accept this view, I believe that the Irish government should refuse to
charge for provision of domestic water. The Irish Government must insist that the 9.4
exemption for Ireland be included in the next EU River Basin Management Plan
As the imposition of domestic water charges was always unjustified, those who have not
paid should not be pursued for payment and those who have paid should be fully refunded.
Equity of funding should be provided by the state to Group Water Schemes.
OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE ON
FUTURE FUNDING OF WATER
SERVICES-STATE OF PLAY
CHARGE FOR EXCESSIVE USE OF DOMESTIC
WATER IS JUST A TRICK TO COMMODIFY
DOMESTIC WATER AND TO RE-INTRODUCE
DOMESTIC WATER CHARGES BY THE BACK
DOOR AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION
FOR A CHARGE FOR EXCESSIVE USE F
Against a Charge for Excessive Use A
Colm Brophy Fine Gael F
Mary Butler Fianna Fil A
Barry Cowen Fianna Fil

A
Jim Daly Fine Gael

F
Alan Farrell Fine Gael

F
Noel Grealish Independent

?
Seamus Healy Independent

A
Martin Heydon Fine Gael

F
John Lahart Fianna Fil

A
Paul Murphy AAA PBP

A
Eoin Broin Sinn Fin

A
Jonathan OBrien Sinn Fin

A
Kate OConnell Fine Gael

F
Willie ODea Fianna Fil

A
Jan OSullivan Labour Party
F
Thomas Pringle Independent

A
Senators
Paudie Coffey Fine Gael

F
Lorraine Clifford- Fianna Fil

Lee A
Grace OSullivan (CE-GREEN)

F
Sen Padraig O Ceide Chair ?
For 8(FG, Lab, Green)
Against 10 (FF, SF, AAA-PBP, S Healy, T Pringle)
UNDECLARED Noel Grealish TD Padraig O Ceide Chair
The chair of an Oireachtas Committee doe not have a casting vote
No Charge or Extra Taxation To Pay

for Water Twice-Statement By
Seamus Healy TD
Double Taxation To Pay for
Domestic Water a Second Time
Recommended by Commission
(Comprehensive Analysis of Commission
Report by Cllr Brendan Young and Community
Solidarity N. Kildare Further Down)
Double Taxation To Pay for Domestic Water a Second Time
Recommended by Commission Seamus Healy TD (Member of
Oireachtas Committee on Water Services) calls for complete
abolition of Domestic Water Charges, opposes any payment for
domestic water and rejects any extra taxation to pay for water
twice including a new dedicated water tax similar to Local Property
Tax (LPT). Irish Water must be abolished. I have been nominated to
the Oireachtas Committee On Water Services. I will be resisting
these recommendations.
I will also be organising and participating in mass marches against
the implementation of these recommendations
A majority, 90 of the 158 Teachta Dla (TDs) elected in the last
general election were elected on the basis of complete abolition of
water charges and The Irish Water utility. The combination of
Expert Commission-Oireachtas Committee-Dil Vote in March was
devised by Fianna Fil and Fine Gael after the General Election to
negate the democratic vote of the people and bring back water
charges.
The Commission essentially recommends that households pay for
water twice through a combination of charges and taxes. The
Report states:
5.2.17 The recommended Funding Model, if implemented, will
place the main burden of financing the operational cost of providing
domestic water services on the exchequer to be paid for through
taxation. The Question of whether there should be a dedicated tax,
a broadly based fiscal instrument, or an adjustment to existing
taxes to fund this requirement would be a matter of Budgetary
Policy and outside the scope of this report, but is worthy of further
consideration.-Commission Report Page 35
The underlying assumption in the above recommendation is that
domestic water should be paid for by the citizens for a second time.
This must be firmly rejected.
New Dedicated Tax suggests an LPT style arrangement which
would convert a charges system to a tax liability which can be
compulsorily deducted from income at source. This can be imposed
on households with no taxable income (e.g. social welfare/low pay).
A broadly based Fiscal Instrument means that there would be a
specific provision in law for some kind of water or house tax
including water tax. This can be imposed on households with no
taxable income (e.g. social welfare/low pay)
Adjustment to Existing Taxes means that there should be a
general tax increase to pay a second time for water through an
adjustment of rates/bands/ allowances/ tax credits.
The commission has also recommended that Irish Water be retained
and that charges be imposed for extra usage.
Refuse charges were originally introduced at 5. Now hundreds of
Euro are payable. The same will happen with water if there is any
charge for water under any guise.
I have been nominated to the Oireachtas Committee On Water
Services. I will be resisting these recommendations. I will also be
organising and participating in mass marches against the
implementation of these recommendations. The money which is
being paid and was being paid for water services through taxation
for many years was not used for water services but was given to
others and is being spent for other purposes. It is being used to
fund part of the 7 Billion in interest being paid annually on money
borrowed to bail out banks and billionaire bondholders. It is also
being used partly to fund the 172 million reductions of personal
taxes on the top 5% of income recipients on an average of
186,000Eu per year.
The 172 million tax reduction must be cancelled. A tax on the
Financial Assets of the top 10% whose financial assets are now 35
billion above peak boom level could be used to fully fund water
services.
Water charges and Irish water Must Be fully abolished. Domestic
water must not be commodified. We will not pay Twice Seamus
Healy TD 087-2802199
-
Analysis
Report of Expert Commission on
Domestic Public Water Services
Double Taxation To Pay for Water a Second
Time Water Recommended by Commission
5.2.17 The recommended Funding Model, if implemented, will
place the main burden of financing the operational cost of providing
domestic water services on the exchequer to be paid for through
taxation. The Question of whether there should be a dedicated
tax, a broadly based fiscal instrument, or an adjustment to
existing taxes to fund this requirement would be a matter of
Budgetary Policy and outside the scope of this report, but is worthy
of further consideration.-Commission Report Page 35
The underlying assumption in the above recommendation is that
domestic water should be paid for by the citizens for a second time.
This must be firmly rejected.
New Dedicated Tax suggests an LPT style arrangement which
would convert a charges system to a tax liability which can be
compulsorily deducted from income at source. This can be imposed
on deprived househols with no taxable income (eg socia welare)
A boadly based Fiscal Instrument means that there would be a
specific provision in law for some kind of water or house tax
including water tax. This can be imposed on deprived househols
with no taxable income (eg socia welare)
Adjustment to Existing Taxes means that there should be a
general tax increase to pay a second time for water through an
adjustment of rates/bands/ allowances/ tax credits.
The money which is being paid and was being paid for water
services through taxation for many years was not used for water
services BUT WAS GIVEN TO OTHERS AND IS BEING SPENT FOR
OTHER PURPOSES. It is being used to und part of the 7 Billion in
interest being paid annually on money borrowed to bail out banks
and billionaire bondholders. It is also being used partly to fund the
172 million reduction of personal taxes on the top 5% of income
recipients on an average of 186,000Eu per year.
The 172 billion tax reduction must be cancelled. A tax on the
Financial Assets of the top 10% whose financial assets are now 35
billion above peak boom level could be used to fully fund water
services.
Water charges and Irish water Must Be fully abolished. We will not
pay Twice
For Complete Abolition of Water

Charges-Seamus Healy TD(member
of Oireachtas Committee on Water
Services) on TippFM
Click Here for Recording https://youtu.be/zbiCeYguBHA
Healy Opposes Double Taxation to Pay For
Domestic Water
Expert Commission Report on Water Charges:

Community Solidarity North-Kildare response
and proposals. 3 December 2016.
The recommendation by the water charge commission that water
for domestic consumption should be funded from general taxation
(5.2.2) is a victory for the movement against the water charges.
The Report acknowledges the political reality that a majority do not
support water charges (4.7). Mass mobilisation and non-payment
were central to this and the unacknowledged reality that massive
numbers of non-payers could not be brought to court to be forced
to pay: they were the key to victory.
No new water taxes!
While this is a victory, it is only temporary if the charges are
not completely abolished. The Report suggests new, additional
taxes to fund water services (p.1). The recently reported FF
discussion, with FG agreement, on a joint LPT-water tax from 2019
shows the direction of establishment thinking.
We oppose any new taxes to fund water services other than
proper taxation of big business (the 13 billion owed by Apple
would fund infrastructure) and taxes on the rich and their wealth.
No rationale that metering and charging is effective in reducing
consumption or waste
The Report says that allowances for normal consumption should
be funded from general taxation but proposes that wasteful use
should incur charges (5.2.2 and 5.2.3). Metering is the only way
this can be monitored. But it also says that any generous
initial allowance could be changed in the future (5.4.3).
It says wasteful use is small (2.3.5); and that domestic
consumption in Ireland is at the lower end of European consumption
(2.3.6) where metering is widespread. The evidence in Britain is
that metering makes little difference in average domestic
consumption. http://www.heednet.info/meteringdefraHEEDnet.pdf
(p.4) So there is no
rationale in the Report for metering to reduce consumption.
The evidence in the Report is that the annual costs of metering and
billing (operating costs of IW, p.34) is far greater than any charges
that could be recouped from households less than 7% for
supposedly wasteful use (see example below). Yet only half of
commercial water charges are collected (2.4.22). Water used
for business generates profits which are privately appropriated
while the costs of the water are socialised.
Nor does the Report give evidence that the money spent on
metering and billing would conserve more water than equivalent
spending on conservation measures: while metering might save at
best 6% (2.3.8), other measures might save up to 25% (harvesting
for outdoor use; grey water for flushing; p.60).
The proposal for metered allowances and charges to stop
wasteful use is actually cover for a perspective of reducing
these allowances and charging in the future justified by
the false argument that charges significantly reduce
consumption.
Any regime that includes universal domestic metering will
inevitably lead to water charges initially to pay the annual cost of
metering and billing people who supposedly use water wastefully.
Consistent excess-use can be identified through district metering
and such users characterized as commercial users (if
appropriate) and charged accordingly. To argue for charges to stop
wasteful use is a sham argument to justify domestic metering; the
only rationale for domestic metering is domestic water charges at a
later date. We oppose them.
Political demands:
Abolish domestic water charges completely.
Abolish IW and set up a national water authority to co-ordinate and
rationalize the operation of the water service in conjunction with the
Local Councils.
Referendum to prevent privatization of Irelands water services
No new taxes: fund investment in water infrastructure through tax
on big business and the rich.
Fianna Fil and Independents must be forced to oppose

Fine Gael plans for domestic water charges
Agitational proposals:
Scrap the meters. Take out your meter and return it to your local
Council the main contractor for IW.
Boycott IW dont respond to requests for household information to
determine allowances, etc.
Protest: mobilise for a mass demonstration before the Dil vote in
March 2017
Wasteful use metering costs much more than savings
The data from IW shows that domestic consumption in Ireland is at
the lower range of European consumption (2.3.6), where metering
is widespread so there is little to gain from it here. It says there is
little evidence of actual wasteful usage (2.3.5). At present only 7%
of metered households use significantly (six times) more water than
the average and IW admits this is mostly from leaks.
The Report gives no evidence to support the installation and
maintenance of 1.4 million meters to try to impose charges to
reduce a small amount of supposed wasteful usage.
For example: if a four-person household uses six times the normal
amount of water which IW estimates at about 129m3/yr and are
charged for the extra 645m3 that they use, they would pay about
2385 at current IW rates of 3.7 per m3.
If 5% (after leaks are eliminated) of the 1.4 million metered
households do this, the income to IW would be about 167 million.
This would probably fall after the first year as wasteful users
reduce what they use.
But the annual operating costs of IW is 794 million for 2015 and
779 million in 2014 (p.34), with more than half a million meters
yet to be installed meaning increased operating costs down the
line.
Money recouped from wasteful use charges will come nowhere
near the cost of the metering and billing system. But in order not to
undermine its own proposal, the Report gives no cost comparison.
The British evidence is that most of the supposedly excessive
consumption is leak-related. Leak-related consumption can be
traced by means of district metering.
It is notable that the Report says Local Councils only manage to
collect about half of the water charges to commercial users
(2.4.22): businesses use water for private profit while the cost of
the water is paid by all.
Metering is a pointless expense unless it is used to charge for water.
The Report says that any initial generous consumption allowance
could be changed in the future (5.4.3) once metering is established.
Stopping waste is a cover argument to justify metering for
universal water charges in the future.
Conservation no evidence that metering is more effective
IW has claimed up to 10% reduced domestic consumption due to
metering. The evidence in Britain however, is that metering makes
little difference in average domestic consumption once leaks are
fixed (see below).
The Report says IW estimates a maximum reduction of 6% from
metering (2.3.8).
Domestic consumption in Ireland is about 41% of total
consumption. So domestic metering might reduce overall
consumption by a max of 2.5% (6% of 41%).
Meanwhile the Report admits that losses from the network are a
minimum 20% and rise to nearly 50% of treated water requiring
investment of between 5 and 13 billion (2.4.26). District metering
is more effective for conserving water because it can identify leaks
from the network and because it is much cheaper than the costs of
installation, maintenance and replacement of individual meters up
to 1.4 million of them
at an initial installation cost of at least 540 million.
We fully support water conservation, which would also reduce the
energy used for water treatment. While water harvesting is
mentioned in the Report, it was not included by FG-Labour in the
recently revised building regulations and could significantly reduce
the 5% of domestic water for outdoor use (p.60).
Nor does this Report mention the re-use of grey water (from hand-
basins, showers, baths) for toilet flushing, which accounts for
21.6% of domestic consumption (p.60).
The Report does not compare the cost of metering and billing, which
might reduce domestic consumption by 6%, to the cost of water
harvesting and use of grey water for flushing which together could
reduce domestic consumption by up to 25% (p.60).
The money proposed for metering and billing every year (operating
costs of IW) would bring far greater reductions in consumption if
spent on conservation measures. But conservation is not what this
is about.Water metering is only rational as preparation for universal
water charges at a later stage.
Allowances and waivers remember the bin charges
The Report proposes that the Commission for Energy Regulation
(CER) would be responsible for setting the size of the personal
allowance and for setting the charge rates. (5.2.5 and 5.2.6) An
allowances system needs metering to make sure people dont use
more but metering for excess-use costs more than it can recoup.
The Report however, reveals its true intentions when it says that
any generous initial allowance could be changed in the future
(5.4.3) to supposedly reduce consumption.
So the proposals for metered allowances to stop wasteful use are
actually cover for a perspective of reduced allowances and
increased charges in the future justified by the false argument
that charges reduce consumption.
The bin charges show what is likely to happen: allowances would
start high and fall steadily, while charges would start low and rise
steadily.
Even prior to deregulation of energy pricing, the CER has
consistently allowed gas and electricity charges to
rise above the rate of inflation and the Consumer Price Index. (see
Bonkers.ie) If PPP or other off-balancesheet private funding is to
be used to pay for water infrastructure and the private companies
want increased prices, there will be pressure to reduce allowances
and increase charges. CER wont stop this.
CER sets the very significant subsidies to private wind energy
producers paid from the PSO electricity /gas levy. The
renewables levy ensures profitability for the wind-farm operators
over and above the cost of producing wind energy. There is no
reason CER would not do the same for water / waste-water
treatment by private companies with future PPP contracts.
Waivers should not be believed: waivers for bin charges have
disappeared and it is not clear if any bin charge waivers will apply
for people with special needs (carers who use nappies and have
heavy bins, etc) if/when pay-by-weight is introduced.
Constitutional impediment to privatisation of water system
A commitment in the constitution not to privatise Irelands water
services would be welcome. We support a referendum for this. But
it should not become a substitute for demanding the abolition of
charges, the dismantling of IW and action to stop the imposition of
domestic water charges in any form.
Opposition to privatisation is based on support for access to water,
irrespective of income; and concerns
about price increases and where the profits would go. In the
context of the existing system, a constitutional commitment to
public ownership would have little real meaning unless it excluded
future PPPs or equivalent long-term contracts for maintenance and
operation of the system apart from initial construction.
There is already significant part-privatisation: NERI (2013) cites 66
water treatment plants as being PPP. All new water treatment plants
are DFBO (Design, Finance, Build, Operate) by private companies
on long-term contracts. The enquiries operation for IW has been
outsourced to Abtran a private multinational. So the Irish state,
through bypassing local Councils as the direct builders /
maintenance organisations, has already
part privatised the system by contracting out the construction and
operation of water / waste-water treatment plants to private
multinationals and guaranteed them a profitable revenue stream.
Operation of the network has not been contracted out because it
is not profitable and in need of big investment. But the existing 12-
year SLAs (Service Level Agreements), whereby the Councils do
the repair and maintenance work for IW, are unlikely to be renewed
when they come to an end. There will probably be a process of EU-
wide tendering for the contracts which would go to the lowest
bidder, rather like the way Sierra and K&N do most of the work on
the gas service that was previously done by Bord Gis employees.
Even if IW as the utility which had overall responsibility for water
services could not be privatised, the revenue it would get from
charging the state for domestic water services would be diverted to
private contractors through outsourcing. This needs to be
considered along with opposition to privatisation.
Charges pay for bank bailout and tax cuts for big business & the
rich
The underlying rationale for water charges is to raise revenue to
continue state-funding of the bank bailout while simultaneously tax-
cutting for big business and the rich.
By the end of 2014, IBRC (Anglo Irish and others) had been the
biggest financial drain on the State with a net cost of 36.1 billion.
Interest on bank debt alone is between 1 billion to 1.7 billion per
year (Julien Mercille, Broadsheet 5 Oct 2015; Irish Times 30-9-
2015). Successive FF and FG-Labour governments agreed to pay
the equivalent of 25% of GDP between 2007-2011 to bail out the
banks (Michael Taft).
The miniscule tax paid by the likes of Cerberus shows the tax
breaks that FF and FG give to big business.
The cost of water services is about 1 billion per year less than
the interest on the bank debt.
The decision by FF and FG-Labour that the Irish state should borrow
money to pay the speculator debts of the banks, and the interest on
those borrowings, is why there is a lack of investment to deal with
the crisis in the water infrastructure and why they want to impose
water charges. There should be a moratorium on payment of bank-
related debt and an audit of that debt with a view to repudiating it.
How to fund water infrastructure
Between 5 billion and 13 billion investment is required (2.4.26).
Tax the multinationals / tax wealth: see AAA PBPA budget
submission.
(THE FINANCIAL ASSETS ALONE of the Richest 10% of households
are now 37 Billion above peak boom level in 2006. Tactically, I
believe we should concentrate on this rather than raising the issue
of taxation of multi-nationals. The latter enables our enemies to
confuse people by raising the jobs issue. See IRISH SUPER_RICH
AWASH WITH MONEY elsewhere ON THIS BLOG-Paddy Healy)
Notes:
Do Water Meters Reduce Domestic Consumption? a summary of
available literature. 2011.Thus, on the UK evidence, the
true impact of metering needs to be seen in terms of better leak
detection, reduced peak consumption and little difference in
average
consumption in exchange for higher cost and complexity in
customer billing and management.(p.4)
http://www.heednet.info/metering-defraHEEDnet.pdf
2.3.5 Irish Water presented consumption data to the Expert
Commission based on metered consumption to date, which
indicated that domestic consumption is relatively low in Ireland with
average consumption of 123 liters per capita (compared, for
example, to 140 liters per capita in the UK). This metered data also
indicated that 7% of households are using six times more water
than the average household, although Irish Water indicated this
level of consumption is likely to decline as customer-side leaks are
fixed.
2.3.8 In Ireland, the reduced domestic consumption due to charges
was originally projected to be 6%, but Irish Water
subsequently indicated that this estimate would have to be modified
downwards in the light of the introduction of a cap on charges.
2.4.22 the collection rate for commercial water charges was
much worse than for other charges with almost half of
water charges being unpaid across all local authorities. (2012:22)
5.2.2 A distinction must, however, be made between a right to
water for normal domestic and personal purposes and
wasteful usage. The former can reasonably be regarded as a public
service that should be funded out of taxation and which the State
should
provide for all citizens. Where water is used at a level above those
normal requirements, that principle is no longer applicable and the
user should pay for this use through tariffs.
5.2.3 Each household that is connected to the public water supply
receives an allowance of water and a corresponding allowance of
wastewater that corresponds to the accepted level of usage
required for domestic and personal needs without any direct
charge being levied. This allowance should be related to the number
of persons resident in the household and adjusted for
special conditions.
5.4.3 . The allowance to households should be periodically
reviewed in an open and transparent way as further consumption
data is gathered and with a view to ensure that consumption levels
are maintained at levels that are aligned with best practice in water
conservation.
PROPOSAL OF SEAMUS HEALY TD TO HALT WATER

METERING RULED OUT OF ORDER
Seamus Healy TD put down an amendment to halt metering but it
has been ruled out of order for Committee Stage(see below). HE
will put it down again for Report Stage but we expect it to be ruled
out of order also. The so-called new politics is a sham. We have also
been told that any bill or motion or amendment which costs the
state money can only be put dowm by government. If proposed by
any opposition TD or party, such a motion will be ruled out of order!
Seamus had submitted several proposals to the Sub-Committee on
Dil Reform including a proposal to enable opposition deputies and
parties to table Bills which impact on state finances. His proposal
was rejected by the subcommittee majority including FF members.
Amendment to Water Services(Amendment) Bill 2016 from Seamus
Healy TD 087-2802199
Seamus Healy TD wishes to submit the following amendment:
Amendment
In section 2 (a) (ii) on line 16 after Irish Water insert:
shall suspend the installation of domestic water meters for
domestic dwellings on the passing of this Bill by the Oireachtas until
the Water Commission Report is laid before the Oireachtas and
Seamus Healy TD
An Roghchoiste um Thithiocht, Pleanil agus Rialtas itiuil
Teach Laighean
Baile tha Cliath 2
Teil: (01) 618 3481

R/phost : HPLG@oireachtas.ie
Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government
Leinster House
Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 618 3481

E-mail: HPLG@oireachtas.ie
05 July 2016
Deputy Seamus Healy

Dil ireann
Houses of the Oireachtas
Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016

Committee Stage
Dear Deputy Healy
I must inform you that the amendment 3, tabled by you for

Committee Stage of the above Bill, must be ruled out of order as it
is not relevant to the provisions of the Bill as read a second time.
Yours sincerely
Maria Bailey T.D.
Chairman of the Select Committee
Labour Leader Howlin Said EU law takes precedence over

the Irish Constitution and legislation.
TDs are being asked to break EU law by legislating to
suspend water charges Howlin
John Downing Irish Independent
FORMER Public Spending Minister, Brendan Howlin, has said a law

before the Dil to suspend water charges effectively breaks EU law.
The Labour leader challenged Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald
following an assertion yesterday by the EU Environment
Commissioner that Ireland has no exemption on water charges.
Commissioner Karmenu Vella said Irelands earlier exemption ended
in July 2010 when the Fianna Fil-Green Party Coalition told
Brussels they were introducing water charges.
Mr Howlin, who was still a government minister two months ago,
said legislation currently going through the Dil breached EU law.
He said EU law takes precedence over the Irish Constitution and
legislation.
The Oireachtas has never before knowingly been asked to
contravene European law, the Labour leader said.
The Justice Minister, Frances Fitzgerald, said the Government was
acting in line with the law and the Constitution and the water
legislation will proceed.
She said the issue had been fully debated by Cabinet and a meeting
with the EU Commissioner was now scheduled.
Ms Fitzgerald rejected arguments by Anti-Austerity Alliance TD, Paul
Murphy, that the EU was seeking to set aside the Irish general
election outcome which was a vote against water charges.
MINISTERS HAD NOT PAID WATER CHARGES

BUT HAVE NOW CAPITULATED TO FG!!!
Minister Finian McGrath and soon to be elevated John Halligan have
not paid water charges-Non-Payers Vindicated-Why should anybody
continue to pay recent bills?
Many ill, old and vulnerable people were terrified into paying. There
should be a full refund and full abolition of charges
-
Dil Speech by Seamus Healy TD Demanding
Full Abolition of Water Charges 27/04/2016
Listen here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B11TATMMt6heZlpaXzFWbDJhQ3c/
view?pref=2&pli=1
I stood in the recent general election as a Right2Water and
Right2Change candidate and have been involved in the movement
since the initial stages. I congratulate all water campaigners around
the country who in the past two and a half or three years stood up
to be counted. Hundreds of thousands of people went out onto the
streets. Community campaigners, anti-metering protestors and
those who fought Irish Water on every street and estate and in
every village, town and city stood up to be counted. They also stood
up to the political parties. People power has won its first victory
against water charges. Those involved have forced the political
parties to retreat. The emerging deal a fudge is the first victory
as the Government and Fianna Fil have been forced to back down,
but they did not do so voluntarily. They did it under the pressure
exerted by people power. A word of caution to everyone involved in
the campaign: he or she should stay organised and continue to
resist metering. The political parties are treacherous and may
attempt to reintroduce water charges. Todays bad tempered rant
by the caretaker Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, may be an indication
of what is to come. If we stay organised and continue to resist
metering, however, water charges will be dead and buried.
As we have said from the beginning, water charges are unjust and
represent double taxation. They were the straw that broke the
camels back among people who had been devastated by austerity,
in particular low and middle income families. A motion on the Order
Paper that has been signed by 39 Deputies calls for the abolition of
water charges and the enshrining in the Constitution of the public
ownership of water infrastructure. It should be debated urgently,
but, unfortunately, Fianna Fil has agreed with Fine Gael to prevent
that from happening. I appeal to Fianna Fil, the Members of which
where elected on a pledge to end water charges, to allow the
motion to be tabled and voted on, as there is a majority in the
House in favour of abolishing water charges. Irish Water must be
abolished as it has been a disaster for ordinary people. We must
also ensure the many people who paid their water charges under
duress the elderly people who were afraid and people who were ill
and worried certainly did not pay voluntarily will have their money
refunded. It is important that the legislation underpinning domestic
water charges is repealed. I appeal to Fianna Fil and Fine Gael to
allow the motion on the Order Paper to be debated and voted on so
as to put water charges and Irish Water to bed once and for all.
First Victory for Water Charges Campaign, the

marchers, the meter resisters, the payment
boycotters
Huge Defeat for Alan Kelly and Labour
Suspesion or abolition of water charges is political,
economic ad environmental sabotage-environmental
treason Alan Kelly TD Dil Eireann 27/04/2016
Is what is happening now legal under EU directives? RTE
News at 6 27/04/2016Alan Kelly TD
http://wp.me/pKzXa-nC
BUT STAY ORGANISED-BEWARE OF EU
INTERVENTION
Continue to Resist Metering
Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly-Photograph: Gareth Chaney

Collins
Water charges Gone for duration of Government -unless EU

intervenes!
The commission is to report to an oireachtas committe. Unlike
Banking inquiry, government will not have a majority on this
CommitteeFF and oppsition will!
This committee will report to the Dail which will vote on whether the
suspension of water charges should be ended and charging for
water resumed. The government will not have a majority in the
Dail!
The trickery is to camouflage an agreement to suspend charges for
duration of government.
We must stay organised. The charges are still on the statute book.
They can be reactivated at any time. The threat of fines by EU could
be the trigger. The resistance to metering must continue.
Everybody who paid should get their money back. Many vulnerable
and/or old people were terrified of owing money and more terrified
of ending up in court. They were bullied into paying
New Vote on Taking Motion to Abolish Water
Charges
FG, FF, Labour Block Discussion. But the vote for discussion on the
motion increases from 39 to 49
26/04/2016
Question put: That the proposal for the adjournment tonight be
agreed to.
The Da il divided: Ta , 83; Nl, 49.
T Nl
Aylward, Bobby. Adams, Gerry.
Bailey, Maria. Barry, Mick.
Barrett, Sen. Boyd Barrett, Richard.
Brassil, John. Brady, John.
Breathnach, Declan. Broughan, Thomas P.
Breen, Pat. Buckley, Pat.
Brophy, Colm. Canney, Sen.
Browne, James. Collins, Joan.
Bruton, Richard. Collins, Michael.

Burke, Peter. Connolly, Catherine.
Burton, Joan. Coppinger, Ruth.
Butler, Mary. Cullinane, David.
Byrne, Catherine. Daly, Clare.
Byrne, Thomas. Doherty, Pearse.
Cahill, Jackie. Ferris, Martin.
Calleary, Dara. Funchion, Kathleen.
Cannon, Ciarn. Harty, Michael.
Carey, Joe. Healy, Seamus.
Casey, Pat. Healy-Rae, Danny.
Cassells, Shane. Healy-Rae, Michael.
Chambers, Jack. Kenny, Gino.
Chambers, Lisa. Kenny, Martin.
Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella. McGrath, Finian.
Coveney, Simon. McGrath, Mattie.
Cowen, Barry. Martin, Catherine.
Creed, Michael. Mitchell, Denise.
Curran, John. Moran, Kevin Boxer.
Daly, Jim. Munster, Imelda.
DArcy, Michael. Murphy, Catherine.
Deering, Pat. Murphy, Paul.
Donohoe, Paschal. Naughten, Denis.
Durkan, Bernard J. Nolan, Carol.
English, Damien. Broin, Eoin.

Farrell, Alan. Caolin, Caoimhghn.
Fitzgerald, Frances. Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
Fitzpatrick, Peter. Snodaigh, Aengus.
Flanagan, Charles. OBrien, Jonathan.
Harris, Simon. OReilly, Louise.
Haughey, Sen. OSullivan, Maureen.
Heydon, Martin. Pringle, Thomas.
Howlin, Brendan. Quinlivan, Maurice.
Kehoe, Paul. Ross, Shane.
Kelleher, Billy. Ryan, Eamon.
Kelly, Alan. Shortall, Risn.
Kenny, Enda. Smith, Brd.
Kyne, Sen. Stanley, Brian.
Lahart, John. Tibn, Peadar.
Lawless, James. Wallace, Mick.
MacSharry, Marc. Zappone, Katherine.
McConalogue, Charlie.
McEntee, Helen.
McGrath, Michael.
McLoughlin, Tony.
Madigan, Josepha.
Martin, Michel.
Mitchell OConnor, Mary.
Moynihan, Aindrias.
Moynihan, Michael.
Murphy OMahony, Margaret.
Murphy, Dara.
Murphy, Eoghan.
Murphy, Eugene.
Naughton, Hildegarde.
Neville, Tom.
Noonan, Michael.
OBrien, Darragh.
OCallaghan, Jim.
OConnell, Kate.
ODowd, Fergus.
OKeeffe, Kevin.
OLoughlin, Fiona.
ORourke, Frank.
OSullivan, Jan.
Penrose, Willie.
Phelan, John Paul.
Rabbitte, Anne.
Rock, Noel.
Ryan, Brendan.
Sherlock, Sean.
Smyth, Niamh.
Stanton, David.
Troy, Robert.
Varadkar, Leo.
Tellers: T, Deputies Paul Kehoe and Michael Moynihan; Nl,

Deputies Ruth Coppinger and Aengus Snodaigh.
Question declared carried.
HEALY RAE(M), Dr Harty and Mattie McGrath

Support Taoiseach in Refusing to allow
Motion for Abolition of Water Charges on Dil
Agenda
A motion to abolish water charges has been on the Dail agenda
since the first meeting of the new Dail, almost 8 weeks ago. It now
has 33 signatures.
Yesterday,20/04/2016, Taoiseach Kenny proposed an order of
business for the sitting which did not include the motion. Despite
many requests from Dil deputies to include the motion, Taoiseach
Kenny refused. Pro-abolition deputies then called on TDs to vote
against the order of business. Effectively those who voted T(Yes)
supported the Taoiseachs decision to exclude the abolition motion.
Those voting Nl(No) wanted to have the abolition motion debated.
FF, FG and Labour and a number of independents voted to support
Taoiseach Kennys exclusion of the abolition motion from the
agenda
The official voting record below deserves study
Positive Meeting Of Anti-Water

Charges Activists-Report Cllr.
Brendan Young
At a positive meeting of anti-water-charge
activists on April 16 (attendees below) a wide-
ranging
discussion took place and the following was
agreed:
1. With regard to the public discussion on the
formation of the next government, we are
opposed to the
movement against the water charge calling for
TDs to vote for a government of the parties
responsible for the austerity imposed to pay for
the bank bailout including the water charge;
2. Instead we support a call for all TDs who say,
or have said, they oppose the water charge to
vote to
immediately abolish the water charge and to
immediately abolish IW when a Bill to that effect
is put
before the Dail;
3. We are aware of discussions amongst anti-
water-charge TDs on drafting a Bill and look
forward to
seeing that draft Bill in the coming week;
4. We are in favour of such a Bill being a cross-
party Bill, rather than a Bill presented by any
one party;
5. We are in favour of all TDs who say they
oppose the water charges being asked to sign
this Bill;
6. While we support a Bill being put to the Dail,
we regard mass non-payment as key to
defeating the
water charge and are committed to promoting
the boycott of the charge;
7. We are in favour of a national demonstration
against the water charge and in support of a
Bill to
abolish the charge and abolish IW involving all
who oppose the water charge;
8. We are aware that a Bill will not be put to the
Dail until after the formation of the next
government;
we favor a demonstration before the formation
of the next government;
9. We are aware of discussions taking place,
amongst the TDs and parties involved in the
drafting of a
Bill, on the possibility of a national
demonstration and the possibility that these
TDs and parties
may agree to call a national demonstration; we
look forward to hearing the outcome of this
discussion in the coming week;
10. We agree to a press conference being called,
involving broad participation of anti water
charge TDs,
in response to IW payment figures when they
are announced in the coming week;
11. We support a visible mobilisation of all who
oppose the water charge at the Reclaim the
Vision of
1916 event on Sunday April 24 in Dublin
assemble in Merrion Sq at 14.00 and bring
banners; the
organisers ask anti-water charge groups to join
the parade behind the banner Irish Republic
ownership of Ireland
12. We are in favour of a national day of action
against the water charge in the near future
provisionally on Saturday April 30, depending
on the outcome of the discussion on calling a
national demonstration mentioned above and
will discuss this at our next meeting;
13. In the event that the incoming government
does not scrap the water charge, we support
open
discussion and democratic decision-making in
the next phase of the campaign;
14. we agree that there is a need for systematic
work on social media; we will discuss how best
to do this
at our next meeting;
15. We will meet again at 14.00 16.00 in the
Teachers Club, Parnell Sq on Sat April 23. This
meeting
is open to all who oppose the water charge and
we will publicise the meeting as much as
possible.
Attendance: Paddy Healy, Sean Heffernan,
Seamus McDonagh, John Lyons, Donall
OCeallaigh, Garrett
Banks, Joe Kelly, Enda Craig, James Quigley,
Shane Fitzgerald, Eddie Doyle, Joanne Pender,
Liz Wilders,
Mary ODonnell, John Meehan, Aaron Nolan,
Paul Murphy, Ciara Hendrick, Evelyn Campbell,
Pat Waine,
Brendan Young.
Report: Brendan Young. 18 April 2016.
New Treachery of FF-FG on Water

Charges
Water and Home taxes to be Merged?
Time to get Back on Streets!!!
From Irish Independent 11/04/16
Fianna Fil wants to suspend charges and abolish Irish Water in
favour of a national directorate, while Fine Gael insists that
payments for water must stay.
The Irish Independent has learned that figures in both parties are
now talking up the idea of amalgamating water charges and the
property tax into a so-called household package.
This would allow Fianna Fil to claim that charges have been
effectively scrapped, while still potentially satisfying EU rules,
according to a senior Fine Gael source. A high-ranking Fianna Fil
figure said the move could bridge the gap between the two
parties.
Sinn Fin on Water Charges Again

The sooner we all get back on the streets in
united opposition to water charges the
better. This crisis of rule of the rich is our
opportunity!
Why Does Sinn Fein not suspend the proposal
for a Commission until the water charges have
already been abolished? That would dispel all
confusion.
There has been, indeed, mischief-making in the media in relation to
the SF position on water charges. The papers were so intent on the
mischief that they failed to ask the really pertinent questions.
The fact that SF has and is proposing the abolition of water charges
in Dail motions is praiseworthy and should be supported. There is
no incompatability between that fact and the questions posed here
in view of the large Dil majority in favour of water charges. I fully
support the SF Dil motion for abolition, but I know that
FG+FF+Lab=100 deputies out of 158 will either prevent it being
discussed or vote it down.
Letter to Irish Independent from Gerry Adams,
Sinn Fin President, Sat 09/04/2016
Before reading the letter from Gerry Adams hereunder, consider the
following:
The policy re-iterated in the letter is that put forward by Sinn Fin
in the General Election. Since then 101 FG+FF+Lab TDs out of 158
have been elected to the Dail. Several other deputies are also in
favour of water charges. There are approximately 118 deputies
opposed to the abolition of water charges and 40 in favour of
abolition.
FF favours suspension of water charges for 5 years but is opposed
to abolition. Even if this suspension occurred the charges would still
be on the statute book and could be revived by government at any
time. It is at least possible that the FF position on water charges is
merely designed to facilitate FF entry into government. Having
entered government it is probable that FF would buckle to EU legal
threats and use these threats to renege on the suspension and
continue the charges .
The independent commission proposed by Sinn Fin is an
Oireachtas Commission which would report back to Government in
9 months. This means that the membership and terms of reference
of the commission would be set by the 100+ deputies who are
opposed to abolition of water charges.
The questions that arise from the Gerry Adams and Eoin OBroin
(further down) material on this matter in media are:
Why did experienced SF politicians not reply to reporters questions
on the terms of reference of the Commission in the following
manner Water Charges would have been already abolished, so the
question of their continuation would not arise ?
Why, instead of the above, the concentration on the protection
which terms of reference would give? After the election, it is now
clear that these terms of reference would be set by the large Dil
majority supporting the continuation of water charges?
Why does SF not suspend the proposal for an Oireachtas
Commission until there is a Dil majority for abolition?
Are the 4 steps in the Gerry Adams letter, which were fine during
the election campaign, now merely for use as a negotiating
document with other parties?
Letter to Irish Independent from Gerry Adams,
Sinn Fin President, Sat 09/04/2016
The Irish Independent claimed that Sinn Fins position in relation
to water charges is in tatters(April 6). This is not true. Sinn Fin has
consistently said that we would establish an independent
commission to examine the most appropriate model of public utility
to replace the flawed Irish Water model. Its not that hard to
understand. All commissions are given terms of reference. They
couldnt function other wise.
Allow me to set out the Sinn Fin position in clear terms for your
readers. There are four steps in the Sinn Fin position:
Abolish Water Charges to take place with immediate effect.
Abolish Irish Water-to be concluded within one year
Establish an independent commission on water services to
examine the most appropriate model of public utility to
replace the flawed Irish Water model -to report back within
nine months
(An Phoblacht March 19,2016 We said we would establish an
independent Commission on Water Services to examine the most
appropriate public ownership model to replace Irish Water which
would report back to Government within nine months.)
Hold a referendum to enshrine the ownership of Irelands

water as a human resource in the Constitution
This is the position as presented to the people in the General
election. And is clearly set out in our policy document Water
Charges-A tax too far. There has been no change in this position
whatever.
What there has been is a certain amount of mischief making by
elements of the media
Sinn Fin has also committed to investing an additional 900m Euro
in water infrastructure over 5 years
Gerry Adams
Sinn Fin President
PUTTING FG IN GOVERNMENT MEANS WATER
CHARGES WILL CONTINUE

But Threat of New Election by FG is
Pure Bluff
FG threats to hold a new election rather than abolish or suspend
water charges is pure bluff.
If FG faced SF and the principled left calling for abolition and FF
calling for suspension in a general election, FG would not prevail .
What would the Labour Party do?
Irish Independent March 27 is reporting that the FG attempt to
assemble 15 others to support Kenny for Taoiseach is faltering
From Irish Independent March 26

Fine Gael sources directly involved in the
negotiations told the Irish
Independent if Fianna Fil demands the
abolition(really suspension-PH)
of charges then were heading into another
election.
Water charges are staying and Irish Water is
staying. That is not up for negotiation, said one
FG party source.
The view in the parliamentary party is so
robust on this from all sides and the party
leadership know that. Middle Ireland is with us
on this one.
The majority of Independent TDs who met with
Fine Gael this week have not listed water
charges on the agenda of items they want
urgently addressed.
Welcome Initiative By Right2Water

Unions and Community Pillar
Bill To abolish Water Charges to be proposed in Dil
full report below

While the lobbying of TDs to support the abolition Bill is progressing
we should be preparing a new national day of protest to back the
Bill possibly on the Saturday before it is to be debated. An attempt
may be made by FF-Fg-Lab to prevent the bill being debated. This
could be successful. The national day of action could be focused on
this if necessary.
By the way, to correct misleading comments on Facebook
Seamus Healy fully supported the Sinn Fein call to put
motion for abolition of water charges on the agenda for
today, March 22 when Dail first met. We voted with SF and
AAA-PBP against the Kenny proposal which excluded it. Seamus
Healy also voted for both Gerry Adams and Richard Boyd-Barret for
Taoiseach as both were signatories of Right2Change principles
The above is posted to correct misleading comments
UNIONS & COMMUNITY PILLAR MEET Monday March 22
Together we can get there
Today in Unite non political activists assembled from counties Louth,
Donegal, Carlow. Roscommon, Cork, Limerick, Kerry, Meath,
Wicklow, Kildare and of course Dublin. Once again people giving of
their own time and expenses with nothing in mind but to advance a
peoples cause.
The meeting decided that the Right2Water Unions would now draft
legislation to abolish Irish Water and charges and, also, to enshrine
public ownership of our water and sanitation in our Constitution.
The Unions will publish this legislation and then approach every TD
who sought election in opposition to charges and/or Irish Water. We
will look for the legislation to be supported not by party interests,
but by TDs voting in alphabetical order regardless of party. People
before party in opposition to these water charges was the
consensus!!!
It was also unanimously felt that the focus now needs to be on our
elected representatives working together and deliver abolition. They
have all benefited from the water campaign to get themselves
elected. It is now time to deliver. Lobbying and peaceful protesting
will be the order of the day until they do.
For the coming weeks this is where the focus will be.
The Unions and the communities have now begun debate and
discussion on how a peoples movement can arrive and formalise in
the mid to long term to CHANGE the face of Irish politics forever.
This dialogue will now intensify in coming months.
Once again, together we can do this.
-
Clarification???: Eoin O Broin(SF)

TD has now supplied an article in
An Phoblacht, March 19
http://www.anphoblacht.com/conte
nts/25839
It contains no clarification or explanation of his remarks in an
interview in Irish Times carried below.
Sinn Fin cant say who would sit

on water commission-Irish
Independent
Irish Independent Published 19/03/2016 | 02:30 Mark
Condren
Sinn Fin cannot say who would sit on a commission it wants to set
up to decide the fate of Irish Water.
The party has backed away from its pre-election promise to
immediately set about abolishing the utility and now wants to set up
a committee to assess how to maintain the water network.If that
group was to recommend the retention of Irish Water, then Sinn
Fin would abide by that.
Our position is we would have a commission on Irish Water. The
idea of the commission would be to come up with a utility that could
deliver a proper water service.
Wed be talking about investing 900m extra into the water
services, said newly elected TD for Limerick Maurice Quinlivan.
However, when asked by the Irish Independent who would sit on
the commission, Mr Quinlivan replied: Youre talking hypothetical
about a commission.
Independent Commission on WaterServices set up by Dil

Majority????
What on Earth is SF doing on water Charges? SF must clarify
this urgently
It is clear from the responses by Eoin Broin (SF) TD below that
the Commission is to report back in NINE MONTHS TIME BEFORE
THE ABOLITION OF WATER CHARGES!!!
The Commission is to be set up by the Dil which means its
composition and terms of reference would be determined by FF, FG
and Labour.
Policy Point on SinnFein Website
Establish an independent Commission on Water Services to
examine the most appropriate public ownership model to
report back to Government within NINE MONTHS
Eoin OBroiN SF TD-Irish Times
Thats why actually we think the best thing to do is to form that
independent commission on water services to design the best
possible model of public ownership. On whether Sinn
Fins commission could recommend the retention of the existing
system, Mr Broin said: I would be very surprised if any body of
experts came back saying Irish Water is the best possible model. I
dont think that scenario is likely but I think that if you set up an
independent commission and you ask it to look at the best model of
public ownership then I do think there is a responsibility to accept
its recommendations when it does come back.
Dil Report-Keeping Water Charges Off the Dil AgendaFF,

FG, Labour,GP(1) and some independents voted in Dail for an Order
of Business which EXCLUDES ABOLITION OF WATER CHARGES as
an item from Dail Agenda when House resumes on March 22
T 100 Nl 32
T : FF, FG, Lab, Gp(1) Mattie Mcgrath, Sean Canney, Michael
Fitzmaurice, Denis Naughten, Maureen O SullivanNl; SF 23,
Seamus Healy, Ruth Coppinger, and 7 other left independentsIt was
clear that the Taoiseach FG, FF And Lab were determined to keep
water charges off the agenda. There was a TWO HOUR debate
Nobody could have been under any illusion about what was at
stake.
The Taoiseach had the right under standing orders to agree to a
Sinn Fin amemndment to the order of business to allow the SF
motion on Water Charges be included on order paper but he
explicitly refused.
When SF sought to amend the Taoiseachs proposal to have the
water charges included, the Ceann Comhairle ruled the amendment
out of order.
It was clear that the only way to have the charges included was to
vote against the motion and to send it back to the Taoiseach for
amendment
That is why all the left TDs and Sinn Fin voted against the
Taoiseachs motion.Just look at the independents who voted for
Kennys motion!
Victory Possible for Right2Water,

But Dont Take it for Granted!Let us
redouble our Efforts.Explain to
those Paying that they may not get
their money back following
abolition or suspension of
Charges
March 2
Cabinet blocks Irish Water

complaints
probe by Ombudsman
Caroline ODoherty
The Ombudsman has questioned
why the Government declined to
allow his office investigate
complaints against Irish Water and
says the move has left the utilitys
customers without any independent
grievance mechanism.
Ombudsman Peter Tyndall, who examines complaints about public
bodies, claims Irish Water was needlessly removed from his remit
when the company took over water supply and sewerage services
from local councils over which he does have jurisdiction.
He says the excuse that Irish Water is a now standalone company
does not wash with him, as ombudsmen in other countries have
retained powers to investigate water services, even when the
ownership or management structure changed.
And he says the decision is particularly hard to stand over
considering that Irish Water remains on the States books.
Mr Tyndall says the Commission for Energy Regulation, which has

regulatory control over Irish Water, cannot properly investigate the
company.
People who had complaints about Irish Water, just at the point
when complaints were starting to grow, had nowhere to go, he
said.
They can go to the regulator but best practice is that complaints
should sit with an independent body, not with the regulator,
because some of the things that people are complaining about are
what the regulator is telling Irish Water to do.
So the notion of it being independent just doesnt work.
Burton astonished at unions in

anti-water-charge brigade
Irish Independent PUBLISHED30/10/2015
Tnaiste Joan Burton has lashed out at trade unions who she says
dont consider upgrading the countrys water system to be a
priority.
The Labour Party leader said she finds it astonishing that some
unions are part of the anti-water charge movement, given the scale
of problems.
Its very odd to have elements of the trade union movement, who
appear to be reluctant to accept the idea that water, while
absolutely a right, actually has to be funded and paid for, Ms
Burton said.
She was responding to questions about the new Right2Change
voting pact, which has the backing of six trade unions including
Unite, Mandate, the Communications Workers Union and the
Technical Engineering and Electrical Union.
Last night, the newly formed Social Democrats declined to join the
movement, which wants left-wing parties and independent election
candidates to agree on a vote-transfer pact.
Right2Change has set out a number of policy principles around
health, housing, jobs and the abolition of water charges.
Sinn Fin has already signed up but many other left-wing politicians
have said that while they back the idea they will not be asking their
voters to transfer to Gerry Adamss party.
In a letter to the leaders of Right2Change, the Social Democrats
said that while they commend the group for a proposal built on
sound principles, they wanted to remain independent heading into
their first General Election.
While we wholly support the principles of Equality, Democracy and
Justice which underline the document, we do have a concern that
the substance of the entire document amounts to a manifesto.
Given that we intend to produce our own manifesto, it would not
be appropriate for us to sign up to that of another group, they
said.
Asked if the Labour Party would miss the support of the union
movement, Ms Burton said the party still had an enormous amount
of support in the trade unions but some unions had made a
political choice.
She said that the six unions needed to realise that water services
were in need of repair.
We need to do it. We have to do it for ourselves, we have to do it
for industry, agriculture and for tourism, she said.
Weve had occasions when Dublin has pretty much run out of
water.
Weve had part of the country where weve had boil water notices
and weve had more than 40 spots around the country where we
are dumping waste and effluent into rivers, lakes and beaches.
She added: Im a bit astonished really that trade unions wouldnt
consider addressing those issues to be a priority.
The Tnaiste said she understood why some politicians were not
backing the Right2Change voting pact, adding that she was not
surprised that certain groups and parties would not wish to embrace
Sinn Fin.
DEFEND THE JOBSTOWN 27 March Tomorrow Sept 19

Jobstown Not Guilty has called for a major protest TOMORROW
Saturday at 1pm at Central Bank. It will march from there to the
CCJ.
After Hugely Successful Right2Water Major

National Demonstration, LET US BUILD ON
THIS SUCCESS!!!
AFTER TEEU Affiliates to RIGHT2Water, Press YOUR Union to
Affiliate!
Motion 41 Passed at ICTU Biennial Delegate Conference
2015 by a Huge Majority
That the Waterford Council of Trade Unions calls on Conference to
reject imposition of water charges on the Irish people and call for a
Constitutional Amendment that ensures water remains in the
ownership of the Irish people.
Waterford Council of Trade Unions
Proposer : Waterford Council of Trade Unions
TEEU, Irelands largest craft union (40,000 members) has now
affiliated to Right2Water
It joins UNITE, CPSU, CWU, OPATSI and MANDATE in support of the
abolition of water charges.
SIPTU and IMPACT are increasingly isolated.
ICTU BDC has now passed a motion calling on government to
abolish water charges.
Is it not time that all unions affiliated to Right2Water?
Please put up motions to your executives calling on them to affiliate
without delay. Quote the motion passed at ICTU. I will circulate this
shortly.
TUI, ASTI, INTO,IFUT, INMO, PSEU, AHCPS, UCATT should all
affiliate now!!!!
Members of Siptu and IMPACT should organise to change their
unions policy
Seamus Healy TD Welcomes TEEU Support for Right2Water

Busses from Clonmel and Carrick-On-Suir will be going to the
protest march in Dublin on Saturday Next
Telephone WUA Office 052-6121883 for booking and further
Information
I welcome the huge boost given to the campaign to abolish water
charges by the decision of
TEEU Trade Union, Irelands giant craft union, 40,000 strong, to
affiliate to Right2Water
Let us now give the campaign another big boost by joining the
protest march on Saturday next in Dublin
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Water Charges And Taxation-Right2Water Should Change the
Formulation to Avoid Confusion and Misrepresentation
The statement Water Services should be funded by progressive
general taxation is technically correct. But it is open to be
misrepresented as an attempt to place the burden on the middle
class. This is being done currently by Leo Veradkar. It will be
trumpeted in every constituency in the general election. In Ireland
all those living in private rather than local authority estates and/or
have white-collar occupations are regarded (wrongly) as middle
class. They are a very numerous cohort and the fight for their
political support is very important to the left. Already many people
from this background support left-wing TDs and councillors. (As a
lifelong trade union rep of teachers and public servants, I am
particularly conscious of this)
The problem with Water Services should be funded by progressive
general taxation is that it does not express the gross inequity in
the distribution of wealth and in the incidence of taxation in Ireland.
I try to deal with this in my blog,
Irish Super-Rich Awash With Money http://wp.me/pKzXa-n4
Instead I think the formulation in documents and speeches should
be Water Services Should be Funded by taxing the incomes and
assets of the super-rich
The formulation Water Services should be funded by progressive
general taxation should be dropped.
When canvassing doors, I often ask What do you think is the
annual income of each of the top 10,000 Irish people
I commonly get the reply: About 200,000 euro like all the
ministers
The reality is 595,000 Euro (over half a million and there are almost
no public servants or Ministers in it-all private sector). Public
perception is distorted by biased media coverage.
I recommend the following reply to Presenters Question: So you
intend to load the cost of upgrading Irish water on the middle
classes
Answer: No, we wish to prevent extra taxation being imposed on
those on low and middle incomes. No Water charges, no Home Tax
We will directly tax the super rich. The top 10,000 Iris People have
incomes of 595,00 per year each, a total of 5.95 billion. Net
Financial assets-investments and bank deposits of the very rich
Irish have gone up by 90 billion since the crash. There is plenty
surplus money there to fund investment in water servicesPaddy
UPDATE:SUPER-RICH IRISH AWASH WITH MONEY!-UPDATE
Aug 19,2015 Read Full Blog http://wp.me/pKzXa-n4
Brian Gould(Cork) Arrested Yet Again For Resisting Water-

Metering. Good on you Brian!
Weve told residents that if they want help, were more than willing
to give it to them. We wont do it for them though.
Were willing to stand with them, not stand for them. They
themselves have to be willing to take a stand.-Brian Gould
Water charges protester defiant at third arrest
Irish Examiner Wednesday, August 19, 2015

by Joe Leogue
A water charges protester arrested three times since last Friday has
vowed to continue his resistance to the installation of water meters.
Brian Gould, aged 64, was yesterday arrested at a protest at the
Ard Cashel estate in Watergrasshill, Co Cork having been detained
on Monday at a demonstration in the same residential area.
Mr Gould was also arrested at a protest in Brooklodge in nearby
Glanmire last Friday.
Mr Gould appeared in Mallow District Court yesterday and was
released on bail.
He said afterwards that, as part of his bail conditions, he had been
ordered not to attend any further water meter installations in
Watergrasshill.
Mr Gould said that he was yesterday arrested for grabbing
equipment from an Irish Water worker, but said that it was an
instinctive reaction after the material was passed over his head
from behind.
His arrest on Monday, Mr Gould said, came after he stepped on a
stopcock.
He also confirmed that he is not a resident of either the Ard Cashel
or Brooklodge estates.
Over the last six or seven months weve been going to various
estates in Cork City and county to park meetings, said Mr Gould.
Weve been giving information and leaflets to residents on the
water charges, meters and smart meters.
Weve told residents that if they want help, were more than willing
to give it to them. We wont do it for them though.
Were willing to stand with them, not stand for them. They
themselves have to be willing to take a stand.
Mr Gould said that, as a result of his involvement, he gets calls from
residents who are seeking help in speaking with garda and Irish
Water workers.
I have gained experience in dealing with the garda and Irish Water
that people dont have, he said.
Last week, a spokesperson said Irish Water would resume works in
estates where workers had been refused access by residents.
This work will be rescheduled in due course to enable works to be
carried out in a safe manner, the spokesperson said. Meter
installations are continuing in the south-west region. To date in
excess of 735,000 meters have been installed nationwide and over
90,000 in the south-west region.
Coleman Sheehy, brother of FG donor, was
appointed to the Irish Water Board in
November 2013.The part-time position
carries an annual salary of 15,000 Euro. Mr.
Sheehy is involved in property investment
and development and commenced
employment with Sherry Fitzgerald Estate
Agents. What qualifications has he to run a
water company. How was he selected?
Water bills could rise by 50pc and 100 grant facing axe as
EU report hits home-Irish Independent
Irish independent Paul Melia
PUBLISHED01/08/2015 | 02:30
Water bills could rise by as much as 50pc if the Coalition insists on
keeping Irish Waters loans off the national balance sheet.
The 100 water conservation grant and the pricing cap are also in
the firing line, if the Coalition wants the company to pass Eurostats
market corporation test.
This would result in 70pc of customers, or almost 950,000
households, being hit with a higher charge as they would have been
expected to pay no more than the maximum bill of 260 per year.
Scrapping the 100 grant to every householder who registers with
Irish Water will also result in higher charges.
European agency Eurostat earlier this week ruled Irish Water did
not pass a crucial test because more than 50pc of revenues came
from Government.
It also found the so-called water conservation grant should be
treated as a payment to Irish Water, as it was clearly designed to
offset bills.
Failure to pass the market corporation test means that Irish Waters
borrowings will be added to the national debt.
The Government has committed to not changing the charging
structure, including the cap, until at least 2019.
Subsidies
It has also said the 100 grant will be paid annually, but the
Eurostat decision means that some subsidies will have to be
withdrawn for Irish Water to qualify as a standalone entity.
ESRI economist Dr Edgar Morgenroth said that the minimum the
Government needed to do was scrap the 100 grant.
Its hard to argue the 100 water conservation grant is anything
other than a rebate to Irish Water. To meet the Eurostat criteria I
expect that at the minimum the government would have to get rid
of the untargeted 100 subsidy.
The true cost of providing water and wastewater is probably 500
to 600. We now have (a charge of) 260, less the 100, and were
not even close to 50pc.
New data published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) also
shows how the Government is heavily subsidising the cost of
treating water.
It says that households are currently being charged 3.70 per 1,000
litres of drinking water and wastewater, but that the real cost is
5.42.
The prices are being kept low because the Government not only
subsidises household bills, but also pays another 1.72 per 1,000
litres to cover the cost of child allowances and the cap.
Removing these subsidies would add around 46pc to bills.
The CSO, Irish Water, Eurostat and the Government have all
refused to release redacted figures in the Eurostat ruling, arguing
they are commercially sensitive.
But data released by the CSO shows the extent Irish Water relies on
the State.
The Government will this year provide Irish Water with 400m to
offset treatment costs and keep charges low. This will increase to
479m next year.
Some 60m is being provided from taxation to pay for the free
allowance of 21,000 litres per child. Another 129m is being paid to
keep the maximum charge at 260 per two-adult household and
160 for a one-adult home.
A product subsidy of 211m is paid to offset treatment costs.
These subsidies exclude the water grant, which costs 130m.
Dr Morgenroth said if 51pc of total funding had to come from direct
charges to customers, it gave the Government very little room for
manoeuvre.
Prices are not set in relation to costs at all, theyre set politically. It
cant be like that if you want a market operation firm, he said,
adding that payment rates would have to improve.
Irish Independent
Seamus Healy TD
TRIP TO TIPP PT 2 NATIONAL PROTEST AGAINST WATER
CHARGES
Nenagh, Saturday August 8
Step up the Campaign Against Water Charges By Protesting in
Nenagh on August 8
Nenagh is the home town of Minister Alan Kelly
Assembling at Nenagh Railway Station@2pm
Free parking on Saturdays in Nenagh
Coaches can park at the railway station
Government and Minister Kelly Must Withdraw the Charges
NOW!
57% Refuse to Pay Water Charges!
Statement By Seamus Healy TD 087-4183732
Well over half of those billed have not paid the water charge. This
shows that the majority of the Irish people are opposed to these
charges and the Government and Minister Kelly should now
withdraw the charges. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the
biggest civil society organisation in Ireland, has voted
overwhelmingly against the imposition of these charges.
Irish people already pay for water through general taxation
including VAT. The majority are refusing to pay a second time.
The Fine Gael/Labour Government gave 80 million Euro in tax relief
in the last budget to over 100,000 people who earn 180,000Euro
per year each. But it is persisting with a charge that amounts to
double taxation of households including very poor households.
The widespread refusal to pay the first water bill should encourage
many more to refuse to pay the second bill.
As no penalties take effect before the next general election, people
can continue to refuse to pay and can vote out the present
government and elect candidates committed to abolishing the
charges in the election.
I will continue to refuse to pay
The mass refusal to pay is a huge boost to the Anti-Water Charges
Campaign which will be holding a mass march in Dublin on August
29.
Let us keep up the pressure!
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
IMPACT/SIPTU Austerity Collaborators Fail To UNDERMINE
ANTI-WATER CHARGES MOTION AT ICTU BDC
A motion to oppose water charges unconditionally was passed at
the ICTU Biennial Delegate Congress after an amendment from
IMPACT And SIPTU which agreed the principle of charging domestic
households for water was defeated by 9 votes.
Well done to outgoing President of ICTU and Mandate General
Secretary, John Douglas
Well done to Waterford Trades Council who proposed the motion
Well Done to the 5 Right to Water Unions-MANDATE,UNITE, CPSU,
CWU, OPATSI
Well done to Northern Unions who were aware.
SIPTU and IMPACT are well aware that once water becomes a
saleable commodity inder EU law, it is only a matter of time until
the charges increase and the service is privatised.
This is what happened with the bin service.
-
Abolition of Water Charges Must be a Red Line Issue for
Participation in Government!
Submission to Right 2 Water Unions by Workers and
Unemployed Action Including Pledge to Be Signed by General
Election Candidates to be Endorsed by Right2Water Unions
WUA Submission
Workers and Unemployed Action is a nationally registered political
party. Seamus Healy TD will be contesting the next General
Election on behalf of WUA.
A small extract from our constitution and rules encapsulates the
political position of the party:
1. With James Connolly, Workers and Unemployed Action is
committed to achieving Irish Unity, Independence and Socialism. It
is opposed to any intrusion on the sovereignty of the Irish people.
WUA supports and defends Irish military neutrality
WUA supports the struggles of workers, unemployed and
oppressed people all over the world.
It is dedicated to advancing the political reorganisation of the
working class on an All-Ireland basis in a united all-Ireland
party of workers.
It is opposed to coalition or collaboration with conservative
parties in Government or other public authorities as a matter
of principle. (This means that WUA will not be
participating in a coalition government with FF, FG,
Renua)
Full constitution and rules can be viewed on our website and by
clicking here
https://wuag.wordpress.com/about/constitution-and-rules/
WATER CHARGES
WUA is strongly in favour of the abolition of domestic charges and
the recognition of access to free domestic water as a human right.
We participated in the previous campaign which succeeded in
abolishing water charges and also in campaigns against bin taxes
and local property tax.
We therefore welcome the initiative of the Right2Water unions in
attempting to use the next election as one means of bringing about
abolition of the charges.
Campaigns for non-payment by those in a position not to pay and
mass protests against government policy and the installation of
water meters in residential areas must continue in parallel with this
electoral initiative.
We have no difficulty endorsing the content of the 5-union policy
document though WUA has strongly held additional political
positions and principles.
In addition to WUA, there will be several political parties and
individuals including individual Dail deputies and senators,
committing themselves to abolition of domestic water charges in the
general election.
Inevitably these will have differences on fundamental issues
including participation or non-participation in government with other
parties.
But we think it important that all candidates endorsed by
Right2Water regard abolition of domestic water charges as a red
line issue for participation in government or remaining in
government. Otherwise, should candidates endorsed by
Right2Water fail to win an overall majority in the General Election,
the elected deputies would have no further obligation to
campaigners against the charges. They could participate in or
support a government which continued the charges WITHOUT
BREAKING THE PLEDGE if there are not additions to the current 5-
union document ON WATER CHARGES. This would be grossly
unfair to activists who campaigned for such candidates or
who recommended votes for them.
Irish Water PLC and domestic water charges will be
abolished within the first 100 days of a Government
endorsing this policy.-Right2Water Unions Document
WUA endorses this pledge.
However, since the fundamental duty of a Right2Water campaign is
to ensure, as far as possible, the abolition of the charges we think
that the following should be added to the above:
Suggested Water Charges Pledge to Be Presented for
Signature to Candidates in the coming General Election who
seek endorsement by Right2Water Campaign
I am unconditionally in favour of the abolition of domestic Water
Charges and I will vote for such abolition in Dil Eireann at the first
opportunity.
I shall not participate in or support the formation of any
government which is not formally committed in its programme for
government to the abolition of domestic water charges within 100
days of taking office.
I shall not remain in or continue to support any government which
fails to fully abolish domestic water charges within 100 days of
taking office.
In signing this pledge I am fully aware that the current FG-Lab
government has surrendered the Irish Exemption from The EU
Water Framework Directive (article 9.4) which legally absolved
Ireland and Ireland alone from the requirement to charge for
domestic water.
Conclusion
UNITY TO REMOVE WATER CHARGES!
It is important that opportunist candidates be prevented from
climbing on an anti-water charges band wagon in order to gain
election only to betray later. The enhanced pledge above minimises
the chances of this occurrence and maximises the chances that
water charges will be abolished. WUA strongly recommends the
enhanced pledge above.
Mass Peaceful Street protest during

Labour Party Conference
Support Killarney Right2Water Feb 28!!!!
KillarneyToday.com Exclusive
A MAJOR national protest is being planned for the streets of
Killarney to coincide with the staging of the annual conference of
the Labour Party in the town later this month, KillarneyToday.com
can reveal.
The protest rally, to voice opposition to water charges and the
austerity regime, is being organised for Saturday, February 28 by
Killarney Right2Water campaigners and it is likely to attract at least
several hundred people from all parts of the country.
The Labour conference, which will be attended by several cabinet
ministers and party leader Joan Burton, will be held in the INEC
from February 27 to March 1.
Dec 1
IMPACT TRADE UNION FORBIDS BRANCHES FROM
CAMPAIGNING AGAINST WATER CHARGES
Letter From Shay Coady, General Secretary
You will be aware that this matter was debated at the IMPACT
Conference in May. Motions calling for the abolition of water charges
or supporting a campaign of opposition to water charges were not
endorsed by Conference. The policy position adopted at Conference
is the following motion;
This Conference calls on IMPACT to support a Trade Union national
campaign of opposition to the introduction of water charges for
households unless the Government commits to retaining the service
in public ownership.
The Action on Motions adopted by the CEC and circulated to all
branches noted that the Water Services No. 2 Act 2013 provides
that Irish Water and its assets will remain in State ownership. The
Act prohibits Irish Waters board, the Minister for the Environment
or the Minister for Finance from selling their company shares. You
will be are that the Minister recently announced further protections
relating to the requirement for a plebiscite if this were to change.
This will require legislation.
In these circumstances IMPACT is not participating in or supporting
the December demonstration and it would be contrary to policy as
determined by Conference for any IMPACT Branch to sign up to
this campaign. You are aware that, under rule, the conference is the
governing body of the union. Furthermore, under rule, branches are
subject to the overriding authority of the CEC.
IMPACT was involved in the negotiation of the service level
agreements between Irish Water and local authorities. We represent
the local authority staff who now deliver that service to Irish Water.
Thes e workers continue to be employed under the same local
authority terms and conditions. We are also organising members in
Irish Water and we have secured a recognition agreement for
IMPACT from the company. I am copying this correspondence to the
IMPACT Officials involved in the water sector as well as the
President.
Shay
Nov 30
Clonmel March bigger than ever to-day
Over 2000 marched
Two Clonmel Busses now filled for Dec 10 to Dublin
See Photo
app-facebook
Paddy Healy
Clonmel March against Water Charges Today even
Bigger!
Well Over 2000 Marched
Comme
Share
nt
Nov 24
Technical Engineering and Electrical Union
representing 40,000 Irish craft workers have called
for the abolition of Water Charges at their national
Conference
TEEU now joins MANDATE, UNITE, CWU, CPSU, OPATSI in
campaigning for abolition.
But SIPTU still supports the principal of charging
households for water. This makes water a tradeable
commodity rather than a public service. Refundable tax
credits do not change this.
David Begg, General secretary of ICTU said on Saturday
that the government package was acceptable
ICTU had supported water charges in its pre-budget
submission.
We must assume that UNIONS we have not heard from
support the ICTU position. These include TUI, IMPACT,
INTO, ASTI, PSEU, AHCS, IFUT, etc
Activist must step up the pessure in these unions for the
abolition of water charges
Meanwhile, members of the Technical Engineering and
Electrical Union (TEEU) have called on the Government to
abolish planned water charges with immediate effect.
Delegates at the unions biennial conference in Kilkenny
backed calls for it to campaign in support of the abolition
of the plan.-(Irish Times)
Nov 20
Households May Pay More-Labour Minister
Labour Party Minister White Admits Households May have
to pay more for water even before the General Election
There is a risk, he said on RTE, that the EU may find
that the arrangements may not meet the EU requirements
to allow Irish Water to borrow off balance sheet (50% of
funding of the company coming from charges to
households and businesses)
The reason for this is that the 100 Euro allowance may be
regarded as illegal state aid to Irish Water.
The reason the 100 Euro is being paid to all households
including those with private pumps who are not
customers of Irish Water is in order to pretend that the
100 Euro it is not a form of state aid to the Company,
Irish Water!
Mr White said the Government has no plan B.
The government is committed to retaining Irish Water as
a company trading in water. Minister Kelly says that it was
not a mistake to set up Irish Water.
THE ONLY SOLUTIONS OPEN TO GOVERNMENT IN
THAT CONTEXT ARE:
1 Abolish or seriously reduce the 100 Euro allowance
2 Increase the charges
3 A bit of both
In either case, this means that people will pay
more!
THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR HOUSEHOLDS IS THE
ABOLITION OF WATER CHARGES
Update Nov 17
Government to introduce loss leader to lure people into
paying. After the general election the charges will rise. A
cap on charges can be removed by next government by
a simple majority. Allowances can be frozen or reduced.
Once water becomes a commodity through charging
households its treatment under EU law changes
fundamentally. Movement to full cost recovery is
inevitable over time.
Joan Burton took 1008 Euro per year in child benefit from
a household with 4 children including households of the
unemployed. She cut rent allowances and fuel allowances.
Now she is about to impose a water charge which will
inevitably rise.
Update Nov 14
Will SIPTU Jack OConnor Allow Government Take
Water Charges From Workers Pay?
The government may now move to have water charges
deducted from pay,pensions and social welfare.
SIPTU could stop this as the Labour Party is now almost
completely dependent on SIPTU for its very survival.
UNITE THE UNION has already dissafiliated from the
Labour Party but SIPTU remains part of the Labour Party.
SIPTU members should call on Jack OConnor to issue a
statement saying that such a move will not be tolerated.
DISCUSSION
ICTU Accepted The Principle of Charging for Water
in Budget Submission
http://www.ictu.ie/press/2014/07/17/congress-pre-
budget-submission/
Congresss proposals on water charges represent a
compromise position between the need to raise additional
government revenue and the need to protect low and
middle income households-
If water charges are to be introduced, the already
announced free allowance will have to be supplemented
by a system of water credits or cash transfers for lower
and middle income earnersIf
Congresss proposals come into conflict with EU state aid
rules , then it is Congresss position that Irish Water
should exist as a public authority
John Douglas(Mandate), Current President of ICTU and
Jimmy Kelly(UNITE) are leaders of the campaign to
abolish water charges and CWU, OPATSI, CPSU are
supporting the demonstrations. Other members of the
General Purposes Committee of ICTU are Shay Cody
(IMPACT ), Sheila Nunan (INTO), Patricia King (SIPTU),
Joe OFlynn (SIPTU), Jack O Connor (SIPTU)
Almost all general secretaries of trade unions are on the
Executive Council of ICTU
The statement: -If Congresss proposals come into
conflict with EU state aid rules , then it is Congresss
position that Irish Water should exist as a public
authority is merely a washing of hands or tail covering
exercise. ICTU and SIPTU have substantial research
departments.
WATER MUST BE RESTORED AS A PUBLIC GOOD NOT
A COMMODITY! REPEAL THE WATER SERVICES ACT
EU Illegal State aid rules Will Ensure that Water
Charges Will rise once introduced
Full Rebate to all households to pay for all
necessary water in the Form of a Refundable tax
credit
will be excluded- SIPTU Jack OConnor knows this.
ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPEAL The Water Services
ACT and restore water as a public good not a
commodity
Tax the Super-Rich for Extra Investment- See
Super-Rich Awash With Money on
paddyhealywordpress.com
Technically the money paid by households and businesses
must be more than 50% of supply and production costs in
order for Irish Water to be allowed by the EU to borrow off
balance sheet. Borrowing off balance sheet simply means
that households and businesses will pay the interest on
borrowings and repay the capital in water charges over
time.
Dr Tom McDonnell (NERI) has said: At the moment it
appears that the funding model for 2015 is 533 million
from the Local Government Fund, 305 million from
domestic water charges and 230 million from non-
domestic (mainly commercial) water charges This means
that technically the government must collect 305 million
Euro from households next year.
Following the huge countrywide protests and the political
damage to FG and Lab, government is now now asking
the EU to allow them to charge less than the 305 million
until after the General Election. On behalf of the state
they will make committments which bind the next
government to allow charges to rise until the 50% figure
is exceeded . Ultimately, the intention is to recover all
costs from households and businesses.
The key step required to make water a commodity rather
than a public good under EU law is to begin charging
households for it even if the initial cost is low for a
temporary period and there are significant allowances and
tax credits.
Unless the attempt to introduce charges on
households is defeated now, the charges will rise
over time to a level comparable with electricity bills.
The charges will, of course, be in addition to the money
we are already paying in direct and indirect taxes for
water as the government subvention to Irish water will be
either frozen or reduced over time as the charges rise.
The net effect of the entire operation is to switch taxation
from the super-rich to those on low and middle incomes.
Already the poorest 10% pay a higher proportion of their
income in tax than the richest 10% when both direct and
indirect taxes(VAT etc) are taken into account. (See my
post on this blog: Poorest Pay Most Tax)
Governments wiggle-room on water
charges limited
ANALYSIS
Cliff Taylor Irish TIMES OCT 31
The Government has limited room for manoeuvre in cutting water
charges to consumers, if it wants to keep the costs of Irish Water
off the State balance sheet. This is the crux of the problem it faces
as it aims to defuse public anger at the charges.
Giving money back to consumers via tax relief and household
benefits packages may, however, be the way to lower the costs
while staying within the rules.
An analysis of the published information on what Irish Water will
spend and where it will raise its money shows it needs to raise
significant revenue from the public to stay within the rules. If it
does not do so, officials have calculated that more than 800 million
will be added to borrowing next year, cutting Irelands ability to
meet EU deficit targets.
Juggling the deficit
The whole structure of Irish Water was established so the bulk of
State funding would not be counted in the annual exchequer deficit,
as measured for EU purposes.
Thus, Irish Water has to be seen to raise a significant part of its
funding from sources other than the Government.
The rules for this are set down by the EU statistics agency Eurostat,
in what is called a market corporation test in other words, a test
of what Irish Waters finances need to look like to justify its
existence as an independent entity.
Three tests need to be met, relating to the amounts that Irish
Water raises in revenues from households, businesses and the
Government and the relationship between these numbers.
Two of these restrict the Governments wiggle room.
First, the amount of money raised from the public must clearly
exceed payments from Government coffers. Previous figures show
that revenue from households (just over 300 million in 2015) and
businesses (230 million) at 530 million exceeded total
Government support by about 100 million.
Doesnt add up
The second test is even tighter. It requires that the amount
collected from households and businesses must be equal to 50 per
cent of Irish Waters production costs, and should clearly exceed
this figure as soon as possible.
With production costs of just over 1 billion, this leaves very little
room to play with. Even if there was some adjustment to Irish
Waters costs, it is hard to see the figures adding up if less than
250 million is collected from households, and more in future years.
Giving money back via tax relief and household benefit packages
will help stay within the rules, while cutting the net costs to
households.
The cash will still come in to Irish Water from the public and can
thus be counted in its finances.
Widening the promised tax relief to households so that all
households benefit from 100 in tax relief, no matter what their bill
comes to together with a credit for those on welfare support is
one key step in the Governments plan to try to assuage public
anger.
Further moves to cap charges are also being considered, but these
will have to ensure that Irish Water still gets enough revenue.
Will It Cost The Government 930 Million Euro per year to
Abolish Water Charge as it Claims?
Read ML Taft Economist at UNITE THE UNION
http://notesonthefront.typepad.com/
The Government Should now Come Clean on
Water Charges
Jobstown jury told

'giving lip to a garda'
is not a crime
Updated / Friday, 23 Jun 2017
The jury is hearing closing arguments from a barrister

representing Michael Banks
imprisonment trial is expected to begin
deliberating on a verdict next week.
Judge Melanie Greally told the jury
members she will address them on the law
on Monday before they retire to consider
the verdicts.
The six defendants have pleaded not guilty
to falsely imprisoning former tnaiste Joan
Burton and her adviser Karen O'Connell in
Jobstown in Dublin on 15 November 2014.
The defendants are Solidarity TD, Paul
Murphy, 34, from Kingswood Heights in
Tallaght; Councillor Michael Murphy, 53,
from Whitechurch Way in Ballyboden in
Dublin; Councillor Kieran Mahon, 39, from
Bolbrook Grove in Tallaght; 34-year-old
Scott Masterson, from Carrigmore Drive in
Tallaght; 71-year-old Frank Donaghy from
Alpine Rise in Tallaght and 46-year-old
Michael Banks from Brookview Green in
Tallaght.
This morning the jury heard closing

arguments from a sixth counsel for the
defence.
Ciaran O'Loughlin, representing Michael
Banks, said the jury would have to assess
exactly what his client was doing that day.
He said evidence that Mr Banks had made
a rude and vulgar hand gesture and had
shouted a rude chant did not mean it was a
crime.
"I accept that is rude and vulgar and might
not make him your favourite man, but it is
not a crime," he said.
There was also evidence about Mr Banks
having a verbal exchange with a garda and
calling him a name but "giving lip to a
garda" was not a crime.
He said the DPP had a "menu" of possible

offences to choose from under the Public
Order Act but had chosen not to do so in
this case and there was no other evidence
against Mr Banks to suggest he intended
to or did falsely imprison Ms Burton and Ms
O'Connell.
The videos clearly showed that others who
are not on trial had engaged in violent
disorder and assault but that had nothing
to do with the protest, he said.
He said unlike others he did not blame
garda for what happened that day.
"They were placed in an extraordinary
position, they weren't expecting it. But
neither was Michael Banks. And maybe the
reason for it was sheer volume of 250 or
300 people made it impossible to move and
no one was to blame unless everyone was
to blame. The whole thing was unfortunate
but Michael Banks was not to blame."
The case has been adjourned until Monday
when the 11-member jury will hear the
judge's charge before beginning to
deliberate on a verdict.
Jury told behaviour

of others cannot
make a peaceful
protest unlawful
The jury heard Scott Masterson stood at the back of
the car carrying Ms Burton
imprisonment trial has heard that illegal
behaviour by others cannot make a
peaceful political protest unlawful.
The submission was made by defence
lawyers during closing arguments in the
trial of six men accused of the false
imprisonment of then tnaiste Joan Burton
and her adviser at a water charges protest
in November 2014.
Senior Counsel Roisin Lacey, representing
one of the accused, Scott Masterson, said
the protest had been "infiltrated" by a
violent and abusive element with which
her client was not involved and had not
encouraged.
She asked the jury to bear in mind that
illegal behaviour of others did not mean a
peaceful legitimate protest could of itself
become unlawful.
Ms Lacey said the question the jury had to
focus on was the intention of Mr Masterson
at Jobstown that day.
It may be difficult to say what was in
someone's mind but the law could help
them on that. The law allowed them to look
at the actions and words of Mr Masterson
to ascertain his intent on the day.
She said video evidence showed he had
not engaged in the abhorrent verbal abuse
of Ms Burton, nor did he encourage it.
He had not encouraged any of the violence
carried out by others who had armed
themselves with missiles. She said garda
witnesses had accepted that peaceful
protests could by hijacked by others with
ulterior motives.
Mr Masterson had stood at the back of the
car carrying Ms Burton. He has
"obstructed and impeded it for sure" but
that was not false imprisonment, she said.
"He stood at the back of the car, at the
boot, not at the doors from which she
could have emerged and in fact did
emerge" after more garda arrived.
She said the footage showed him sitting
calmly, linking arms during the sit-down
protest. This could not and did not amount
to anything unlawful and was not
indicative of an intention to falsely
imprison the women.
Not one Garda witness had told the jury

that Mr Masterson had twice shouted at
them to tell Ms Burton to get out of the car
and answer their questions.
"How is that consistent with someone with
the intent of keeping someone trapped in a
vehicle?", she asked.
Ms Lacey said the sit-down protest in
which Mr Masterson was involved lasted
somewhere between six to ten minutes.
She said it was illogical for the
prosecution to suggest that false
imprisonment continued while the jeep
was moving slowly.
It was not another form of confinement as
suggested by the prosecution.
While the prosecution suggested he had
resisted the Public Order Unit of the
garda, video footage showed him with
arms outstretched, which had all the
hallmarks of a placatory gesture,
according to Ms Lacey.
She said these actions did not fix him with
a shared intention of aiding and abetting
what was going on around him.
Ms Lacey said Mr Masteron was also
arrested in a dawn raid on his home as he
was making his children's school lunches.
He was handcuffed and treated like a
violent criminal in front of his children.
It was ridiculous to suggest he needed to
be handcuffed for his own safety and the
safety of others.
"What was he going to do? stab himself
with the butter knife? Run off with the
school lunches and survive on cheese
strings on the run? It is ridiculous."
She said the manner of his arrest was
unjustified and unnecessary.
"Is this a pattern?", she asked.
"Is this heavy handedness indicative of
why were are here? Is it cracking a nut
with a sledge hammer? Is it all over the top
and indicative that this investigation and
this prosecution is unnecessary and
unjustified?
Padraig Dwyer, counsel for Frank Donaghy,
told the jury they represented the people
and their voice was the voice of the
people.
"Your voice is the voice of the country,
your verdict will have consequences for
protest in the future," he said, adding this
was the first time that the criminal law
with all its weight and might had been
applied to a political process.
He said false imprisonment cases usually
involved tiger kidnappings or people being
kept in rooms but, in the case of his client,
the prosecution was saying that carrying a
banner and sitting in front of car for a few
minutes amounted to false imprisonment.
Mr Donaghy had joined the protest
spontaneously when he was out to get
petrol.
He had carried a banner and chanted
slogans as well as taking part in a sit-down
protest.
"You are being invited to take a scary
position that slow marching a politician
out of a particular area and carrying a
banner 30 or 40 metres ahead of the jeep
along with some old dears from Tallaght
amounts to false imprisonment. It is an
affront to justice and democracy to
suggest this," he said.
Mr Dwyer said garda had accused Mr
Donaghy of banging on the garda car
containing Ms Burton but video footage
showed he was merely "rapping" the car in
rhythm with the slogan "no way, we won't
pay".
He said the evidence of the police in this
regard is similar in relation to other parts
of the case - "blown out of the water when
you actually play the footage".
He said garda failures in the case had
already been dealt with in other closing
arguments adding there had been an
"abysmal failure to gather all the
information."
There was also a failure to give accurate
and honest evidence wich was not
misleading and not intended to gild the lily.
A combination of events, including the
mismanagement of the protest on the part
of the garda, meant garda were trying to
find someone to blame for the result.
He said the most Mr Donaghy should have
been charged with was obstruction and
this could have been done in a proper way
under the Public Order Act.
It could have been dealt with in the
District Court in less than an hour, instead
of his client having to attend court for two
months facing a serious offence with a
potential sentence of life imprisonment.
He said the Public Order Act specifically
provided for the offence of obstructing a
vehicle and the defence of reasonable
excuse would have been available to him.
It was "a monumental injustice" and
whatever he got involved in did not warrant
a charge of false imprisonment, he said.
"He is an ordinary man, a 71-year-old and it
is disgraceful that the State has hauled
him through this process to answer for his
activities on the day in question. He is
entitled to sit down behind a politicians
car within reason and he is entitled to hold
a banner, and even if he delays one of our
leaders that does not make him a
criminal."
Closing arguments will finish tomorrow
and the jury will be addressed by the judge
on Monday before retiring to consider its
verdicts.
Jobstown jury not satisfied

Burton was totally restrained
in car, 'case has fallen at first
hurdle'
The judge said the prosecutions case had failed if the jury were not
satisfied Burton and her assistant were fully restrained.
June 29, 17
Paul Murphy arriving at the Central Criminal Court of Justice in
Dublin last week.
Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
Updated at 5pm
THE JURY IN the trial of six men accused of falsely
imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan Burton will continue
deliberations tomorrow.
The jury of seven men and four women deliberated for a
total of one hour and 53 minutes in the Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court trial today without reaching any verdict.
Judge Melanie Greally sent the jurors home for the evening.
She issued the usual warnings including that they should not
discuss the case outside the jury room.
It is very very important that you confine your discussions
of the case to your jury room even when youre with other
jury members, she said.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five other men have pleaded
not guilty to falsely imprisoning Burton and her adviser
consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on 15
November, 2014.
The trial started on 26 April.
broke out around them. They remained in a car in the
churchyard and then in a jeep on Fortunestown Road for a
total of three hours after they were surrounded by
protesters.
The prosecution alleges that by surrounding the cars, the
accused men engaged in a joint enterprise to totally
restrain the women and deprive them of their liberty.
The defence has submitted that there was no false
imprisonment and that the accused men were exercising
their constitutional right of peaceful assembly. They
maintain that obstructing the car was no more than an
inconvenience, delay and a nuisance.
Outlining points
Outlining a number of points, Judge Greally told the jury
that if they were not satisfied the women were totally
restrained in the Avensis car in the churchyard, then the
prosecution case has fallen at the first hurdle.
Judge Greally told the jury they should also regard the video
footage from that day as the primary and most reliable
evidence.
She said video footage at times contradicted the witness
testimony in the case and that the video footage was
independent and not subjected to the frailties of human
memory.
She said they should not draw any adverse inference from
the fact that none of the accused men gave evidence at trial.
She said the defence case for Paul Murphy was that he took
positive steps to end the womens restraint. She said the
defence maintains that is inconsistent with Paul Murphys
intent to falsely imprison the women and inconsistent with
his guilt.
Similarly, the judge said Michael Murphys defence submits
he was promoting peaceful behaviour on the day and made
attempts to support Burton and OConnell leaving
Fortunestown Road.
Judge Greally told the jury that Paul Murphys counsel also
maintain that it was poor policing and bad decision-making
on the part of the senior inspector at the scene that led to the
women being held in the first car in the churchyard.
Garda handling
In her charge on Monday, Judge Greally told the jury that if
they decided the protest was peaceful, they must consider
the actions of the garda that day, including whether the
protest was mishandled from the start, if garda failed to
prepare, if the decision to move the women from the church
was the wrong decision, if they ended up being left longer in
the cars than they should have been and whether garda
should have engaged with protesters.
Today, the judge said they must consider the actions of
garda that day even if they decided the protest was violent.
The trial heard that there was a lack of statements taken
from people who were present at the protest that day.
The judge said the absence of these statements may be
relevant to the suggestion that has been made that garda
had an agenda in relation to the accused and in particular
Paul Murphy.
In her initial charge, Judge Greally said the jury must
consider whether Burton and OConnell had a means of
escape. She said two such possible means of escape had been
raised at trial that they get out of the car and leave
Fortunestown Road on foot, or that the Jeep reverse as
advised by the Garda Air Support Unit.
Today, the judge said a third means of escape was open to
the jury to consider whether the women could have
egressed down Fortunestown Road. She said that means of
escape involved commotion and chaos but it was open to
the jury to decide if it was a reasonable option.
She also said Scott Mastersons defence maintains that his
actions on the day, including asking Joan Burton to get out
of the car and answer us were inconsistent with his intent
to carry out false imprisonment.
The jury resumed deliberations at 12.43pm. At 1.10pm
Judge Greally called the jurors back and sent them out to
lunch, telling them to stop deliberations over lunch and to
use the time to relax and switch off.
The men on trial are Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood
Heights, Tallaght; Kieran Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove,
Tallaght; Michael Murphy (53) of Whitechurch Way,
Ballyboden, Dublin; Michael Banks (46) of Brookview
Green; Scott Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght
and Frank Donaghy (71) of Alpine Rise, Tallaght.
http://www.thejournal.ie/jobstown-trial-13-3468290-Jun2017/
A 'peaceful protester' could be

facing a life sentence if found
guilty, Jobstown trial hears
Closing statements were made by counsel for some of the accused in
the Jobstown trial today.
Jun 22nd 2017
THE TRIAL OF six men accused of falsely imprisoning the
former Tnaiste Joan Burton has heard that a peaceful
protester is charged with an offence that could potentially
result in a life sentence.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy (34) and five other men have
pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to falsely
imprisoning Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell by
restricting their personal liberty without consent at
Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on 15 November,
2014.
In his closing arguments to the jury Padraig Dwyer SC,
defending Frank Donaghy (71), who only got involved in the
protest when he spotted the gathering after going to get
petrol, said the man didnt deserve to be labelled a criminal
for his actions that day.
Dwyer said it was unfair that his client had been sitting
through a lengthy trial facing a charge of false imprisonment
which could potentially result in a life sentence.
It is completely unfair to say that he should take
responsibility for anyone elses actions.
He just joined the protest because he felt he was standing up
for himself, his wife, his child and the community and the
reward he gets is to indict him with a crime which is up
there with rape, murder and robbery.
All he is doing is holding a banner walking up the road,
with some old dears from Tallaght, Dwyer said, before he
added that it was an injustice that this would constitute a
false imprisonment.
He added that Superintendent Daniel Flavin agreed during
the trial that carrying a banner is the essence of peaceful
protest.
Dwyer told the jury that the charges laid against Donaghy
were ludicrous, unfair and wrong and suggested that if he
were to be charged with anything because of his behaviour
that day it should be a public order offence that could be
dealt with by his local district court.
If your grandfather did as he did, he is just as likely to find
himself in the same position as Frank Donaghy, Dwyer
said, before he added that if the jury acquitted his client it
would be delivering justice for yourself, your family and
future generations.
It would be an injustice, contrary to our notions of liberty
and democracy that he should be convicted of false
imprisonment. He is just an ordinary man. It is absolutely
disgraceful the way the State have treated him.
He was a labourer, he bled, sweated and toiled. He is
entitled in his retirement to sit down by a politicians car,
within reason, and he is entitled to hold a banner and slow
down the progression of a politician.
Not enough to hang him with guilt
Counsel for another accused Scott Masterson (34) said that
it would be unfair to simply lump her client, who was
peacefully protesting, into a situation with others who were
engaged in acts of violence and extraordinary abuse and
insult.
Roisin Lacey SC, defending Masterson said her clients mere
presence at the protest was not enough to hang him with
guilt.
She said it was a spontaneous, unplanned protest and it was
manifestly clear that Masterson was not involved in
organising people on the day.
He was not encouraging others in violence, nor was he
directing others present to do anything like that, Lacey
continued, adding that Masterson was not commanding or
influencing others.
She suggested that any woman, like herself or members of
the jury would find it abhorrent to be called a bitch, cunt or
slut. But this was not Masterson.
He was not armed as others who were armed with missiles.
None of this can be laid at the door of Mr Masterson. He has
nothing in his hand, not armed with anything to incite fear,
Lacey said, before she added that it wasnt her clients
motive to be there to be violent.
She said it was accepted during the trial that people at an
event such as this protest at Jobstown could be there for
different motives.
There can be a hijacking of what is intended to be a
peaceful protest. It is accepted that people could be there
with ulterior motives she said.
Dawn raid
Counsel also criticised the behaviour of the garda when she
said her client was arrested during a dawn raid on his
home while he was making school lunches for his four and
nine-year-old daughters.
She said the girls, who were present at the time, were very
distressed to witness their father being handcuffed.
Why was he handcuffed? Lacey asked the jury after
referring to previous garda evidence that people are usually
handcuffed for their own safety and that of others present.
Was he going to stab himself with the butter knife he was
using to make the sandwiches. Was he a flight risk? Was he
going to grab the lunch boxes and survive on cheese
strings? Lacey asked.
She said being treated like this in front of his children,
Masterson was unjustifiably treated as a violent criminal.
Lacey suggested that this behaviour of the garda towards
her client was indicative of the forces actions throughout
the case, Is it cracking a nut with a sledge hammer? Is it all
over the top?
She said the peaceful protesters on the day didnt want this
political treachery to go unchecked.
We should be grateful to people like Mr Masterson, who
have taken part in peaceful protest, to stand up for all our
beliefs, peacefully and within the law, Lacey said.
Counsel suggested that when her clients daughters look
back on the morning of their fathers arrest they may be able
to put aside their distress and see someone with political
principles who was prepared to stand up.
Is he to be condemned for that? I think not, and I urge you
not to, Lacey said.
Paul Murphy of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran Mahon
of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy of
Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank Donaghy of
Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Michael Banks (46) of Brookview
Green, Tallaght and Scott Masterson of Carrigmore Drive,
Tallaght have all denied the charges.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally.
http://www.thejournal.ie/jobstown-closing-statements-3458761-Jun2017/
Barrister tells Jobstown jury

their political views "have to be
left outside the jury room"
Closing speeches were given today.
Jun 20th 2017
THE JURY IN the trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, who is

accused of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan Burton,
has been told their verdict will fix the limits of our freedom
to hold our elected leaders to account.
The submission was made by defence barrister Sean Guerin
SC on day 33 of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial today
where closing speeches got underway.
Paul Murphy (34) and five other men have pleaded not
guilty to falsely imprisoning Joan Burton and her adviser
their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on
15 November, 2014.
The charges against a seventh accused, Ken Purcell (50), of
Kiltalown Green, Tallaght, were dropped last week.
broke out around them. The jury has heard they were
detained in vehicles for three hours.
Entitled to views
In his closing speech, prosecution barrister Sean Gillane SC,
told the jury that the essential question in the case was not
political and that their political views should have no
bearing on the case.
Youre entitled to those views but those views have to be left
outside the jury room, he said.
Outlining the nature of the charges against the accused men,
he said that when you seek to restrain the liberty of a person,
the restraint has to be total.
Its not good enough for me to establish some class of
obstruction or inconvenience, he said. Violence does not
need to be a factor, he added.
Outlining the case against each of the men, he said they
worked together with a shared intention that day to totally
restrict the liberty of Joan Burton and Karen OConnell, who
were trapped in the cars.
He said Paul Murphy was one of those who surrounded both
cars carrying Burton and that he gestured at others to do so.
Gillane said there was no doubt about the right to peaceful
protest, which he said was embedded in the Constitution
but he said there were obvious limitations to that right.
I can protest about water (charges) or anything else but I
cant do it in your kitchen, he said.
He rejected the proposition that what happened to Burton
and OConnell was inevitable because people were angry
about water meters or water charges.
Theres nothing inevitable about it, he said. Adults must
be responsible for their actions. Being angry about
something doesnt change that
What we require of people is that they control that anger
instead of indulging it. If you indulge it, youre responsible
for it.
He said political context or motivation simply doesnt
allow for the restraint of the liberty of other people.
He said Ireland has a Constitution, which includes the right
to protest, but which also includes the right to be free.
We dont allow a judge, garda, the army, the men in white
coats to restrict other peoples liberty, he said.
We dont allow any of those organs of the State to do that to
other people. Why would we allow Paul Murphy to do it? Or
Michael Murphy or Scott Masterson or any of the accused?
Democracy
Gillane said Paul Murphy was instrumental in holding a vote

on Fortunestown Road that day, in which he was heard
asking the crowd whether to keep her here or let her go.
He was absolutely instrumental in that process about what
was to be done with another human being, Gillane said,
adding Paul Murphy also told the crowd the outcome didnt
matter and he would do whatever was decided.
I suggest its not democracy or anything like it. Its a
betrayal of democracy, an inversion of democracy.
He referred to an interview Paul Murphy later gave to RT
in which he said we detained her. Paul Murphy was
involved in restraining her (Joan Burton) and he well knew
it, Gillane said.
He said the appropriate verdict for the jury to return was
one of guilty on each of the charges on the indictment.
Closing speech
In his closing speech, Sean Guerin SC, representing Paul
Murphy, said his client was the most recognisable person
present on the day but that at no stage did anyone witness
him engaging in violent or abusive behaviour, or
encouraging anyone to engage in violent behaviour.
He said his client was instead seen advocating or
encouraging the passage of Ms Burton from Jobstown, albeit
a delayed passage.
He said Paul Murphy participated in an event that was at
times chaotic and disorganised because it was
spontaneous and which was marred at times by the
violent behaviour of others to whom he lent no support and
gave no encouragement.
Their protest was a political one, he said.
He said garda were concerned about violent disorder from
the beginning, when they decided that Burton and OConnell
should be brought to the first car.
It was this fear of violence which could only be the basis of
any charge of false imprisonment, he said, adding Paul
Murphy was not charged with violent disorder.
That was the cause of their being kept in the vehicle and not
the peaceful acts of protest engaged in by Paul Murphy, he
said.
In relation to the vote on Fortunestown Road, Guerin said
that Paul Murphy had no moral obligation to address the
crowd, but that he did so at the request of the senior officer
on the scene.
By addressing the vote, Paul Murphy showed political
leadership and responsibility, Guerin said. It is the essence
of democracy, he said.
It was craven and discreditable of the prosecution to then
criticise Paul Murphy for doing so, he added.
Garda taking the stand
Guerin said that garda did not find the video clip of the
vote, which was posted on Facebook, although he said he
was not criticising them for that failure.
He said one guard after another then took the stand and
alleged Paul Murphy had said the sinister and frightening
suggestion that Burton be kept there for the night. That did
not come from Paul Murphy, Guerin said.
He said the footage showed another woman who was never
charged say Joan Burton should be kept there, Guerin said.
And he queried how it was that garda who were present at
the scene missed this.
Guerin said Paul Murphy was entitled to expect the political
authorities of this State to be capable of recording events of
importance. Instead, he said the garda accounts of the vote
on Fortunestown Road were inaccurate, incomplete or
misleading.
He said the woman who said Joan Burton should be kept at
the scene was never charged, while Paul Murphy, who
advocated to move Burton out of the area albeit with
some inconvenience was now facing a charge punishable
with a sentence of life imprisonment.
In what disordered view of the world does that make any
sense at all? Guerin said.
He said: What has happened in this case is that the
authorities have sought to use the acts of violence or threats
of violence of other people to discredit him, to discredit his
political associates, to discredit the (community) he leads
and discredit the people he represents.
He said Paul Murphy was not being prosecuted for what he
did or said, nor for what others said or did.
Its hard to avoid the conclusion that he is here being
prosecuted instead for what he believes and for who he
represents, he said.
He referred to Daniel OConnell being charged with
conspiracy in 1844 and said it showed that violence
unrelated to a political complaint can be used to discredit
politicians with a political message that is inconvenient to
the establishment.
It is his freedom that is at stake in this case, he said. Its
his rights that are in jeopardy.
jobstowGuerin said the case affects all of us and on behalf
of other citizens, he urged the jury to quickly return a
unanimous vote of not guilty.
By your verdict, you will not only decide (Paul) Murphys
future, you will fix the limits of our freedom to hold our
elected leaders to account, he said.
This is not just a legal issue. Youre being asked to fix the
limits of our political rights.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Michael
Banks (46) of Brookview Green; Scott Masterson (34) of
Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght and Frank Donaghy (71) of
Alpine Rise, Tallaght have all denied the charges.
http://www.thejournal.ie/jobstown-trial-latest-3454894-Jun2017/
Charges dropped against one

of the seven Jobstown
defendants
Applause broke out in court after the charges against 50-year-old Ken
Purcell were officially dropped.
Jun 12th 2017,
THE CHARGES AGAINST one of seven men on trial for

falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan Burton and her
adviser at an anti-water charges protest have been dropped.
On day 27 of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial today,
Judge Melanie Greally told the jury she would be
discharging Ken Purcell from the indictment and he was free
to go.
Clapping broke out in court as Purcell shook hands with the
six remaining defendants before leaving the courtroom.
The jury was told that prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC
had an application to make as a result of a ruling Judge
Greally made earlier today following legal argument in their
absence.
Gillane then said that the Director of Public Prosecutions
(DPP) had asked him to enter a nolle prosequi in relation to
the two charges against Purcell.
The case proceeds no further against Mr Purcell, Gillane

said.
Purcell (50) of Kiltalown Green had pleaded not guilty to
falsely imprisoning Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell
by restricting their personal liberty without their consent at
Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on 15 November
2014.
After clapping broke out in court, Judge Greally reminded
supporters that the trial was not a public performance.
You can continue whatever celebrations you like outside the
courtroom, she said.
Gillane said the prosecution case is now concluded. The jury
was told it will not be required again until later this week.
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank
Donaghy (71) of Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Michael Banks (46) of
Brookview Green, Tallaght and Scott Masterson (34) of
Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght have pleaded not guilty to falsely
imprisoning Burton and OConnell.
The trial continues.
http://www.thejournal.ie/jobstown-ken-purcell-dropped-
3440066-Jun2017/
All six defendents found not guilty in Jobstown trial

29/06/2017
BREAKING Paul Murphy TD and 5 others found
not guilty of falsely imprisoning Joan Burton in
Jobstown in 2014 #iestaff
12:25 PM - 29 Jun 2017
Orla O'Donnell
@Orlaodo
Judge Greally tells all six men they're free to
go. @rtenews #Jobstown
12:22 PM - 29 Jun 2017
This is a stunning defeat for the political
establishment says Mick Barry in Dail #iestaff
12:27 PM - 29 Jun 2017
alana fearon @lansy12

One for the little people and democracy
#jobstown #JobstownNotGuilty
12:26 PM - 29 Jun 2017
During the ending stages of this trial, could people show support for us by
making this their profile picture?
Earlier:The jury in the trial of six men accused of
falsely imprisoning Joan Burton and her adviser
have asked the court to replay some video
footage.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five others are
alleged to have committed the offences during a
water charge protest in Jobstown in Dublin in
2014, they deny the charges.
It is the prosecutions case that the women were
trapped inside two Garda vehicles when
protesters surrounded them as they tried to leave.
Before the jurors resumed their deliberations this
morning, they asked for footage taken above the
protest by a Garda helicopter to be replayed.
The jury foreperson said they wanted to see if one
of the vehicles they were in could have reversed
away from the area.
Joan Burton
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/all-six-defendants-found-not-guilty-in-
jobstown-trial-795663.html
Well done to the Jury for seeing through this show trial farce..
The Gardai were no mere witnesses. They are supposed to be held to a
higher standard because they represent the law. When a Judge has to
remark in such a fashion so as to instruct the Jury to disregard oral
evidence from representatives of the law, you know this State is in a bad
way.
Share share share. One Garda birds eye view, assessment of the protest at Jobstown
which ended 18 mins later. This was shown in court on Tuesday. He explains that the
only hassle was when the Public Order unit were introduced. They were withdrawn less
than 8 minutes later. Back in Court 13 tomorrow at 10:30 for day 4 of Joan Burton's
evidence. All welcome. A really important show of support for Jobstown starting on
Saturday at 2pm from the Luas Terminus in Tallaght Town Centre or from Tallaght
Leisure Centre in Jobstown. Please do your best to be there.
https://www.facebook.com/RevolutionIreland/photos/a.148461985206139.4
0836.116110171774654/1565750776810579/?
type=3&comment_id=1565756643476659&notif_t=feedback_reaction_gene
ric&notif_id=1498736178031871
Jury at #Jobstown trail have asked to look again at Garda Helicopter video
ustice will only be served if Joan is convicted for this nonsencesacle farce which no
doubt has cost these people money/time/stress. I hope they will not let this go and find
a way to prosecute her and the corrupt officials who allowed this to happen
Great news burton should be charged for this farce
Irish Independent
This wont be reported in the media - so everyone needs to share this.
This is footage taken from a Garda helicopter the day of the protest. Here it quite
definitively contradicts the mainstream narrative of the Jobstown protest. The Public Order Unit
escalated issues. The protest was peaceful - there was, in the words of this Garda pilot, "no
hassle"
""THE jury in the Jobstown false imprisonment trial has asked to review
video footage taken from the garda helicopter of the scene at Jobstown in
which former Tanaiste Joan Burton was allegedly falsely imprisoned.
The jurors resumed deliberations at 10.43am this morning after requesting
the footage to "see could the jeep reverse."
The jury had already been advised by Judge Melanie Greally that reversing the
jeep was one possible exit route that they could consider when deciding if Ms
Burton and her advisor Karen O'Connell were falsely imprisoned.""
We should never forget what Labour did here. They are all complicit in this
shocking misuse of justice to try and tarnish the water protest movement.
After all, when the State cannot fight fair and square, they get dirty and do
what they know best: Smear and fear. That's all they are good at..
Smear and Fear..
This will have massive ramifications for protest in the future folks.
Deliberations begin again at 10:30am

tomorrow.
Jury will report back in 5 minutes as to
whether they are close to a verdict or not.
All waiting around for the jury. Should know by around 4pm if the verdict
will be today or not! Stay tuned and keep using #JobstownNotGuilty
HIS IS LOOKING VERRY BAD FOR OUR JUSTICE SYSTAM ..IN IRELAND TODAY . REGARDING THE
RIGHTS TO PROTEST . AND THE RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH . FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE
TO SAY THAT ALL THESE MEN HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO PROTEST AND ALSO HAVE EVERY RIGHT
TO FREEDOM OF SPEACH . IN OUR COUNTRY IN THE IRISH REPUBLICK . NO MATTER WATH THE
SUBJECT IS ABOUT .SUCH AS WATER CHARGES PROTEST . ETC. THIS IRELAND OF OURS IS
TURNING INTO A POLICE . STATE . YOU HAVE SIX MEN IN COURT TODAY WHO ARE STANDING UP
FOR THOUSINGS OF PEOPLE . FIGHTING FOR A GOOD CAUSE . AND FIGHTING TO KEEP THERE
FAMILY'S TOGHTER . ALL BECAUSE THEY EXPEESSED THERE RIGHTS . TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH
AND.THE RIGHTS TO PROTEST ON OUR BEHALF . THEY. THESE SIX MEN HAVE GIVING UP EVERY
THING ON OUR BEHALF . AND COULD END UP IN PRISON . ALL BECAUSE JONE BURTON . TURND
UP ON THE SAME DAY . SHE NEW THERE WAS A PROTEST THERE BECAUSE THE GARDA WOULD
HAVE TOLD HER BUT STILL SHE INSISTED ON GOING TO THIS IRISH SCHOOL . IF I WAS THE
GARDA IN CHARGE I WOULD HAVE TOLD THINGS COULD GET.OUT OF HAND AND ADVICE HER
TO COME ANOTHER DAY BUT THE GARDA IN CHARGE OF SECURITY DID NOT PUT THIS POINT
TO MISS BURTON . OR DID THEY YOU WOULD THINK SHE WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT HER
ONE SAFTY FIRST AS A MINISTER . ALL THESE MEN THAT ARE IN COURT TODAY ARE INNISENT .
THEY ARE INTITLED TO EXPRESS THERE FREEDOM OF SPEECH . AND THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHTS
TO PROTEST . THIS COUNTRY OF OURS IS TURNING INTO A REAGIEEM FOR THE POLICE . WE
ARE NOT IN CHINA AND NOT IN JAPAN AND OTHER COYNTRYS WHO DON'T ALLOW THE
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST . THE GARDA HERE SHOULD EASE OFF
AND LET THE PEOPLE SPEEK . WATER IS FOR LIFE AND NOT FOR THE FAT CATS IN THE E U .
AND SEARTNELY NOT FOR THE FAT CATS HERE . ALL THESE 6. MEN ARE INNOCENT .FULL STOP .
Packed House in Court 13 today as the jury were charged- respect.
Barristers not happy with the nature of the judges charges to jury so legal
argument kicks in again tomorrow at 10.30am. Jury on hold til 2pm when
they will begin deliberation again. #jobstownnotguilty
The Gardai were no mere witnesses. They are supposed to be held to a
higher standard because they represent the law. When a Judge has to
remark in such a fashion so as to instruct the Jury to disregard oral
evidence from representatives of the law, you know this State is in a bad
way...
Well done to the Jury for seeing through this show trial farce...
Today, Joan Burton's daughter was in court at the Jobstown Trial in the afternoon. The
court was packed, no seats but two spaces on the inside of the bench where she was
sitting. She had her leg up on the seat in front, blocking access to the seats.
When one woman (who has been at every day of the trial bar one) went to sit down she
was told by JB's spawn that the seats were being held and anyway they were for
VICTIMS!! Long story short, she was put nicely in her place by the lady and guard who
(when the situation was explained) marched in to the court and insist that this lady
was seated beside her. As the guard said "they are finished giving evidence so she has
no more right than anyone to be there".
Such a sense of bloody self-entitlement really pisses me off.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
That woman had no redeeming features about her at all and it begs the question.......
what sort of arseholes voted for her in the first place.
Glad she got her nose put out of joint! Fairplay to the brave citizen supporter!
Delighted for the JOBSTOWN 6 Now hang

your head in shame Joan and the Gardai.
SOLIDARITY TD PAUL Murphy and five other men have been found not
guilty of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan Burton and her adviser
during a 2014 water charges protest.
The jury of seven men and four women returned the unanimous verdicts
today after just over three hours of deliberations.
The court room, which was packed to capacity, erupted in cheers as the
verdicts were handed down shortly after midday. There were cheers of No
way, we wont pay and several supporters broke down in tears.
Jobstown protest: TD Paul

Murphy and 5 others found not
guilty
The six men were accused of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan
Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell in 2014.
June 29, 17
SOLIDARITY TD PAUL Murphy and five other men have

been found not guilty of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste
Joan Burton and her adviser during a 2014 water charges
protest.
The jury of seven men and four women returned the
unanimous verdicts today after just over three hours of
deliberations.
midday. There were cheers of No way, we wont pay and
several supporters broke down in tears.
Paul Murphy, South Dublin County Councillors Michael
Murphy and Kieran Mahon, Scott Masterson, Frank
Donaghy and Michael Banks were on trial in Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court for over two months. They nodded and
smiled as the not guilty verdicts were handed down.
They had pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms
Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell by restricting their
personal liberty without their consent at Fortunestown
Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
It is a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life
imprisonment.
The charges against a seventh accused, Purcell (50), of

Kiltalown Green, Tallaght, were dropped towards the end of
the prosecution case after Judge Greally ruled that the
extension of his garda detention in February 2015 was
unlawful.
Judge Greally thanked the jury for their exemplary service
and told them they had shown extreme bravery and courage
in taking on the case. A juror was discharged halfway
through the trial for personal reasons.
further cheers in court as she told the six men they were free
to go.
women were attending a graduation ceremony at An Cosn
adult education centre in Jobstown when demonstrations
broke out around them.
The jury heard they were detained in vehicles for three
hours as they attempted to leave the area.
The prosecution case was that by surrounding the cars, the
accused men engaged in a joint enterprise to trap the
women and totally restrain their liberty.
The defence argued that their clients engaged in a peaceful
protest and this could not amount to false imprisonment.
They submitted that at worst, their clients were engaged in
obstructing a vehicle or delaying and inconveniencing the
women.
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Michael
Banks (46) of Brookview Green; Scott Masterson (34) of
Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght and Frank Donaghy (71) of
Alpine Rise, Tallaght had all denied the charges.
When asked for a comment, a garda spokesperson said:
An Garda Siochana do not comment on matters which are or
have been before the courts.
http://www.thejournal.ie/courts-jobstown-jury-3469624-Jun2017/
It proves one thing to me and that is any dealings you have with the Gardai you should always
video record it for your own security , they have been proved as liars under oath in so many
cases lately that it should be legalised for our protection against a corrupt system , I'm
delighted with the verdict and ask can the D,p.p. finally drop this horrendous witch hunt against
the rest of the jobs town 23 ,its a waste of tax payers money , they also should sue the state for
all the emotional turmoil they have been put through over a political agenda to smear peaceful
protesters ,
State accused of shredding documents now central

to legal case
Monday, June 26, 2017
by Joe Leogue
A Defence Forces whistleblower has alleged that a named

official ordered the shredding of documents that are now
central to a legal case against the State.
Despite the claim, junior defence minister Paul Kehoe says
he has no plans to investigate how documents went
missing, despite only being able to offer speculative
reasons for their disappearance.
Six former members of the Air Corps have taken High
Court action against the State, claiming it failed in its duty
of care to protect them from the harmful effect of the toxic
chemicals they used on a daily basis while working in
maintenance at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co
Dublin.
All six now suffer chronic illnesses, and a toxico-
pathologist has given his medical opinion that these
conditions were developed as a result of their exposure to
these chemicals.
The Irish Examiner understands that further cases will be
brought against the State, which has denied liability in all
six instances to date.
Central to all the claims is the question of whether the
State took all reasonable steps possible to protect the
workers. However, health and safety inspection reports
published in the 1990s at a time when all six of the
claimants worked in Casement Aerodrome have gone
missing.
The Irish Examiner can reveal that, in April, a
whistleblower made a protected disclosure to Mr Kehoe in
which it was alleged the inspection reports were destroyed
as per the instruction of an individual named in the
submission to the junior minister.
The Irish Examiner previously sought the inspection
reports under the Freedom of Information Act, but was told
they could not be located. Despite this, the Defence
Forces were able to issue this newspaper with invoices
issued at the time for the 1990s inspections but not the
reports on their findings.
The inspections were carried out on behalf of former State
body Forbairt.
Enterprise Ireland, which succeeded Forbairt, said it no
longer held the reports, but that it sent copies of them to
the Department of Defence.
The department also said it could not locate these copies
of the reports.
Sinn Fin defence spokesman Aengus Snodaigh recently
submitted a parliamentary question to Mr Kehoe to ask if
he planned to investigate why and how the documents
went missing.
The military authorities have indicated that the Defence
Forces have neither a hard copy record nor an electronic
copy of the Forbairt Reports, Mr Kehoe said in his reply
this week.
The authorities have indicated that there are a range of
potential causes for the loss of the reports such as the
changeover of electronic recording systems in 2004 or
that the reports were misplaced over time.
However, this is purely speculative.
It is not proposed to have an independent third party
carry out an investigation into the reasons the Forbairt
reports cannot be found.
Mr OSnodaigh said: It is ridiculous that the minister
would try to have us believe that not just one set of
reports went missing, those sent to department by
Forbairt in 1995 and 1997, but also those sent again by
Fortbairt when they were being wound down in 1998 all
mysteriously disappeared and that thats where matter
should end.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/state-accused-of-shredding-
documents-now-central-to-legal-case-453338.html
You all agree with this corruption by being registered to vote. Voting in anyone else into
the same system would result in the same corruption. Politicians are powerless to
change this. Only us individually can change it by deregistering your vote. Don't support
it.
Well, I hate to say it, but I have been claiming that Ireland is institutionally corrupt for a good
while now. Something like this situation is what I would call normal for Ireland.
However, it's nice to have other people confirming that.
A year ago I was the only person using the term 'cultural' or 'institutionalised' when describing
the behaviour of the Irish establishment. Now I see it being used more and more.
Perhaps people are beginning to see that none of the lies and corrupt behaviour of our leaders
and people in positions of power and authority is unusual. No 'incident' is isolated, it is merely
an acceptable form of behaviour and nobody will do anything about it.
Let's face it, there is none so corrupt as our police commissioner and she is supported by our
entire government every step of the corrupt path she walks. If THAT doesn't indicate how
Ireland is run then nothing will.
Does The Taoiseach Believe The Government

Was Misled By The ODCE?
June 27, 2017

This was deliberate. Daft judge also fluffed his lines by
speaking to the media first instead of the jury.
You had one job, your honour.
Seanie was NEVER going to be convicted.
The shredding happened in 2015 so Murphys references

to 2013 in her follow up questions are just wrong.
Ask the line MinisterWho is..?.the reality is that
Mr Fitzpatrick knows where the political and
financial corpses are buried and if they are ever
exhumed, it could prove fatal and could take quite a few
of the existing elite down with him.
Yesterdays Irish Independent; Social Democrat TD

Catherine Murphy and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
On Monday.
The Irish Independent reported that Kevin OConnell, the

legal adviser to the Office of the Director of Corporate
Enforcement who shredded documents pertaining to trial
of the former chairman of Anglo Irish Bank Sean
Fitzpatrick an action that contributed to its collapse
had sent emails to the Department of Jobs in 2011
complaining of a lack of resources and experience.
Journalist Niall OConnor reported that these emails were
only forwarded to the Government last month.
MrOConnor also reported that a report into the

shortcomings of the case will confirm that Mr OConnell
has been moved out of the now under-fire corporate
watchdog.
Former Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell OConnor ordered

this report shortly after the former chairman of Anglo
Irish Bank Sean Fitzpatrick was acquitted.
Further to this
This afternoon.
During Leaders Questions.
Social Democrat TD Catherine Murphy raised the Irish

Independent story and responses that she and fellow
Social Democrat TD Roisin Shortall received from the
Department of Jobs.
Catherine Murphy: Taoiseach, yesterdays Irish

Independent raised significant questions regarding the
ODCE [Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement]
and their handling of the Sean Fitzpatrick trial which was
the longest running criminal trial in the history of the
State. The public reaction to the case was a feeling of
being utterly left down. People read what happened in the
courts, rightly or wrongly, and as another case of people
with friends in high places and the sense of punishment
only being for the little people.
In a week where the public debate rages regarding the

operation of the courts and the judiciary, it must be said
that cases such as the Fitzpatrick case have a significant
impact on public confidence in a system as a whole.
I want to raise with you what appears to be significant

conflict in the information provided to both myself and the
Irish Independent by the Department recently, when
compared to information provided to my colleague Deputy
Roisin Shortall in November 2015.
Yesterday the revelations in the Irish Independent
seemed to suggest that the ODCE effectively misled the
Department of Enterprise and therefore, Government too,
regarding their ability, or lack of ability to effectively
investigate the Fitzpatrick case and provide the DPP with
the evidence required to prosecute.
On the 31st of May this year, I received a reply from the
then Minister for Jobs [Richard Bruton]. That reply
assured me that, in 2011, the Secretary General of two
departments, in Justice and Enterprise, had met the ODCE
officials and offered extra resources if needed for
investigation.
The reply went on to say that the ODCE had claimed that
they had no need for any extra resources. The reply
clearly says that it was emphasised at the meeting that
any requests for resources would be responded to
positively. The reply confirms that the ODCE stressed
they were satisfied with the resources that were available
to them.
Yet, in the reply to my colleague Deputy Shortall, in
November 2015, it was claimed that the ODCE had flagged
the need for further resources within their office,
subsequent replies relating to that question indicate that
there was a significant delay in meeting those resource
requests thats obviously a significant issue in its own
right.
The Irish Independent claims that the email sent
internally from Mr OConnell, in 2011, about concerns
regarding the lack of resources within the ODCE to pursue
the Fitzpatrick investigation were only forwarded to the
Department of Jobs within the last few weeks and we
need to know if thats true. We know that Mr OConnell
had, during the course of the investigation, shredded key
documents and had also engaged in coaching witnesses
and that ultimately, and that and other issues, ultimately
led to the controversial collapse of the case.
The questions I want to ask are: Can you explain the
conflict between the Department of Jobs reply in May of
this year to me and the same Departments reply to my
colleague Deputy Shortall in November of 2015.
Does the Taoiseach worry that the ODCE may have
concealed vital information from the outset, regarding
their ability to pursue the Fitzpatrick investigation
anddoes the Taoiseach believe the Government was
misled by the Office of the Director of Corporate
Enforcement?
Leo Varadkar: Thank you, deputy, I havent seen the
report, it hasnt gone to Cabinet. It hasnt been published
yet. I understand that parts of it may have appeared in a
newspaper but I dont know to what extent they are in
truth or they are the full truth. And the report now has
gone to the Attorney General and the Attorney General
has to consider whether it needs to be redacted because,
of course, individuals appear in the report and then
may need to have their good name protected.
But once the Attorney General has dealt with the report,
we will then publish an [inaudible] permission to do so
and well publish it with the response. At that point, I
think it will be possible for the Tanaiste to answer your
questions in more detail.
What I can say is that the Office of Director of Corporate

Enforcement, the ODCE, has got additional resources the
last year and, indeed, the office has got several additional
staff and I think too often in this country, a lack of
resources is used as an excuse for poor performance
which is why so often additional resources dont make
any difference in terms of outcomes and performance.
And what Ive read in the papers is that, you know,

documents were shredded that shouldnt have been
shredded and witnesses were coached that shouldnt
have been coached. I dont know how a lack of resources
causes someone to shred a document they shouldnt have
or to find the time to coach a witness they shouldnt have
coached so I think we need more and more as
Government opposition not to allow people to hide behind
the excuse of resources, it isnt always the reason as to
why everything goes wrong. Often, its not the reason at
all.
As a Government and as a Taoiseach, Ive expressed my

view very clearly that I dont think that our capacity to
respond white collar crime and corporate fraud is
adequate and for that reason Ive asked Minister
Fitzgerald and Minister Flanagan to work together with
their departments to develop a package of measures to
go to Cabinet by the end of September which will enable
us to strengthen and deepen our response to white collar
crime, to corporate fraud and I think thats necessary, I
think people demand it and I think if weve any chance in
restoring confidence in the States ability to deal with
such issues, we need to do exactly that.
Murphy: Taoiseach, I know the report is gone to, I mean,

is gone to the AG. It wasnt the question I asked. I asked
the question in relation to a conflict between two
questions, the same, broad question that was proposed to
the same department where we got two different replies,
two different responses.
In 2013, the department were made aware that the
documents were shredded, 2013. And that was just before
the trial commenced. And Im sure that same information
would have gone to the DPP and would we have had the
longest running criminal trial in the history of the State if
they had that information?
I asked you very specific information. The question,
when it was posed in 2013, we were told that, the reply
that I got was, if resources were requested they would be
provided. Well now compare that to the reply that Deputy
Shortall got, when she posed the question in 2013, and
had to follow it up with other questions in relation to how
many staff were there, when it was going to be
augmented? It took a very long time, in fact I think it took
before last year before they had their whole complement
of staff, so thats two years. Now, I asked you very
specific questions in relation to how you can resolve that
conflict. Thats an issue in its own right irrespective of a
report going to the AG where you have a department that
tells you two different things, both of them cant be right
because theyre the opposite end of the spectrum. Could
you please address that issue and do you have confidence
or do you believe that you were misled by the Office of
Director of Corporate Enforcement?
Varadkar: I dont have an answer to that question. I
havent any dealings yet with the Officer of Director of
Corporate Enforcement. So, I cant say they misled me
because certainly Ive had no dealings with them as
Taoiseach, over the past [inaudible] days and I didnt have
in my previous weeks either so I dont believe they misled
me but if youve a question, ask them to the line minister,
I imagine hell do that in the normal way
Go on Leo. Call an election if you dare. We will see if these

polls are accurate or not...
It's important to understand the driving ideology behind every single

decision that your Government takes. If you are still thinking that
Governments make mistakes or bad decisions when the results of those
decisions damage the population, then you still do not understand.
The Government isn't making mistakes when they defund the healthcare
system, welfare or social housing. They are deliberately defunding them
for a reason and that reason is Neoliberalism. Parallel to this path, they are
busy privatising natural public resources, like water, too.
All the major establishment parties follow this ideology because it benefits them
to do so. It benefits the wealthy and most of the party political elite are quite
wealthy and stand to thrive when Neoliberal policies are forced on the public
sector and consequently the general population.
They stand to benefit through privatisation by investing in the private sector
once said sector has taken over the public sector. In their world, free market
capitalism is good for them irrespective of whether it is bad for you.
Just like it's good to keep a housing bubble going because half of the Dil are
landlords...
They don't make mistakes. They make deliberate choices that affect you
negatively so they can benefit...
So if you are frustrated as to why people protest water charges and not hospital
services cuts, look at the ideology that drives the Government to cut and
privatise both because both issues are connected by this ideology and your
response must be to see the ideology as the issue, not water charges or
homelessness or even lack of health care...
How convenient that the Pride Parade falls within two weeks of his appointment. That way we
can all "fall in love" with Leo because he is homosexual and that means he's somehow liberal
and diverse. I'm calling B.S. He's as right/wing as Thatcher. Posing for pics does not make you a
man of the people. Believe me when I say Leo will make Enda look ok by the time he's done
(just as Trump has made Bush Jr. look not half bad).
Your enemy is Neoliberalism.
his culture is so embedded that in order to eradicate it, the whole lot
needs to go...
It appears the 9.4 exemption isn't the only issue that both FF and FG and
their cohorts in Labour and the Endapendents want kept from the public...
So Fianna Fail are out to sell us out by supporting CETA, which is the
Canadian-European version of the TTIP.
I hope you weren't thinking of voting for them because you hate Fine
Gael.
The lesser of two sleeveen parties is still sleeveen....
The Neoliberal streak is strong in both parties...
One of the posters in the comments sent an email to Lisa Chambers TD to
confirm Fianna Fail's stance on CETA... Here is the response...
"Thank you for your email, I note your concerns. I agree with our party position
on this, it supports job creation and our economy. I appreciate you don't agree.
Regards
Lisa Chambers TD"
If you are not familiar with CETA then it behoves you to familiarise yourself...
"It is now almost two years since Wallace told the Dil of the 7m placed
in an Isle of Man account for the benefit of a small circle of business
people and politicians in the North in connection with the Project Eagle
sale. The delay in establishing a Commission of Investigation into Project
Eagle because of the procrastination of the Government and Michael
Noonan, in particular, will ensure that NAMA will be well on the road to
dissolution by the time its findings are published."
So Fianna Fail are out to sell us out by supporting CETA, which is the
Canadian-European version of the TTIP.
I hope you weren't thinking of voting for them because you hate Fine
Gael.
The lesser of two sleeveen parties is still sleeveen....
The Neoliberal streak is strong in both parties...
One of the posters in the comments sent an email to Lisa Chambers TD to
confirm Fianna Fail's stance on CETA... Here is the response...
"Thank you for your email, I note your concerns. I agree with our party position
on this, it supports job creation and our economy. I appreciate you don't agree.
Regards
Lisa Chambers TD"
If you are not familiar with CETA then it behoves you to familiarise yourself...
How convenient...
The delay in establishing a Commission of Investigation into Project Eagle because of the
procrastination of the Government and Michael Noonan, in particular, will ensure that NAMA will
be well on the road to dissolution by the time its findings are published."
This feels like the Irish solution to revelations of corruption and incompetence for at least the
last 40 to 50 years. setup inquiry/committee/commission and kick it as far down the road as is
possible so when the truth is known peoples anger will have long abated because something
else has come up.
whats fucking new in this god forsaken shithole, if people cannot be arsed to get
fucking upset enough to do something about it, then what, what is the point? they are
morally corrupted, we are morally stupid
This last chance has always been there since 2000 when Fianna Fail requested the exemption
on charging for water. The issue here is that in 2010, Fianna Fail/Green Party then went and
submitted the first River Basin Plan with the intention of introducing water charges, which
would have meant the exemption expires once the established practice was in place and up
and running by the second River Basin Plan which is due at the end of the year. The whole
argument rests on what was the established practice at the time of the adoption of the first
River Basin Plan, irrespective of what the Irish Government were going to introduce in the
future. In 2010, the established practice was water paid for through general taxation, as it was
for the previous decade. The next River Basin Plan which will be submitted in December will, at
the time of adoption, declare that the water charging regime is the established practice and it
will be backed up by the water commission report from April. Why the Water Commission
Report? Because that is seen as the acceptance of the charging regime by all parties that
participated and voted on the report. Once the EU adopts the second RBP in December then
the exemption officially expires because it will be seen as an acceptance of the water charging
regime by Ireland as the established practice and it cannot be reversed.
Fianna Fil selling out our sovereignty. I managed to get a copy of their motion tabled
for private members debate tomorrow evening. The last paragraph states
"the support and endorsement of an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Trade
Agreement (CETA)" and it's signed by Robert Troy and other Fianna Fil TDs. It does not
mention setting up of an arbitration beyond the jurisdiction of the Irish courts where
the Irish government can be sued by multinational corporations contrary to the Irish
constitution.

Jobstown Protest TD Paul Murphy and 5 Others Found Not Guilty

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Jobstown Protest TD Paul Murphy and 5 Others Found Not Guilty

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Jobstown protest TD Paul

Murphy and 5 others found not

TD PAUL MURPHY and five others have been found not

PAUL MURPHY TD and five other men have been found

Six men face charges over the alleged false

She said the prosecution accepted that if

Six found not guilty

All six defendants were cleared of the charges

Ms Burton was surrounded by anti-water

At the start of the trial in April all six

Jobstown Not Guilty

If Verdict is in: NOT GUILTY.

Satire at it's best

At the same time, establishment politicians and their supportive media

All six defendants found not guilty in Jobstown trial

Meanwhile,Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald has denied there

Update:12:22pm: All six defendants in the Jobstown trial

View image on Twitter

Emma McMenamy @emmamcm

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five other men have been

The jury of seven men and four women returned the

The court room, which was packed to capacity, erupted in

There were cheers of No way, we won't pay and several

Defendants in the Jobstown trial led by (LtoR) Michael

Paul Murphy, South Dublin County Councillors Michael

They had pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms

alana fearon @lansy12

It is a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life

Judge Greally thanked the jury for their exemplary

Defendants in the Jobstown trial led by Michael Banks

The prosecution case was that by surrounding the cars,

The defence argued that their clients engaged in a

Earlier:The jury in the trial of six men accused of falsely

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five others are alleged to

It is the prosecutions case that the women were trapped

Before the jurors resumed their deliberations this morning,

The jury foreperson said they wanted to see if one of the

Six men accused of the false imprisonment of former

He said Cllr Murphy was entitled to

Defendants in the Jobstown trial (left to right) Michael Banks,

Abolish Water Charges!!!

Fair water charges would stop

The report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Future Funding

Even now, the establishment will attempt to downplay this victory...

Perhaps #CopOnComrades might comment on this from "Journalist,

Meanwhile, Paul Murphy is demanding to be freed at once, so he can attend a

JoanBurton Liar, Liar, Liar #JobstownNotGuilty

O'Sullivan calls for

Nirn O'Sullivan said she is not satisfied with the

She said there are industrial issues around

Meanwhile... *cough Splutter*

Hey, Labour this one's for you.

'I'm choking back tears': Relief

Speaking at the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice,

We Already Pay For Water. We will not pay a second time.

Defend Right To Protest and Right To Free Speech

I am opposed to the commodification of domestic water services. Water must remain a

Equity of funding should be provided by the state to Group Water Schemes.

Colm Brophy Fine Gael F

Mary Butler Fianna Fil A

Barry Cowen Fianna Fil

Jim Daly Fine Gael

Alan Farrell Fine Gael

Noel Grealish Independent

Meanwhile... cough Splutter