Crowe criticises ‘misleading commentary’ from fellow Clare TD over water charges
Clare Fianna Fáil TD, Cathal Crowe has strongly shut down suggestions that the Government is not seeking to introduce water charges and has hit-out at ‘disingenuous’ social media comments relating to water charges from Clare’s Sinn Fein TD, Donna McGettigan.
A Sinn Féin Bill on Water Services was debated in the Dáil in early April and was defeated following a vote. Over the Easter weekend, social media commentary from Deputy McGettigan accused Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents of allowing water charges to be introduced following the vote.
However, Deputy Crowe has hit out at the accusation and has clarified that the Government will not be introducing water charges.
“I think that it’s important that Clare’s voters know how their TDs are representing them in the Dáil and it is important that this false accusation is corrected,” Deputy Crowe stated.
“Deputy McGettigan posted a picture which states that both Deputy Joe Cooney and I voted against banning water charges, and that Minister Timmy Dooley was absent for the vote. Furthermore, Donna said that – and I quote – ‘Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Independents allow for water charges to be introduced’.
“The phrasing that Deputy McGettigan has used on her post is very disingenuous and is not accurate. Let me explain why: Legislation to implement water charges has already been repealed. This was contained in the Water Services Act in 2017.
“I want to be clear on this: this Government has no intentions to introduce water charges. It is not in the Programme for Government and there has been no work done on the relevant Statutory Instruments that would be needed to change this.
“The 2017 Act includes provisions to charge households for excessive water usage. This is where a house exceeds 213,000 litres per annum and this came into effect all the way back on the 1st January 2018. This is a huge amount of water and was calculated as being 1.7 times the average household use and this limit is there to encourage considerate water usage to protect both the environment and the water infrastructure.
“This Sinn Fein motion, if passed, would have had the opposite effect as it would have removed this provision and would have required replacement legislation. The Government has a massive legislative programme to get through in the lifetime of this Dáil and the introduction and progression of a bill to change anything to do with water charges would not be a productive use of Oireachtas time.
“Let me say it again: this Government has no intention of imposing water charges and Sinn Fein know this. I am disappointed that such inaccurate and misleading information was shared with the people of Clare.
“It is only natural that we should differ on matters relating to policy and legislation, and indeed it is the basis of a healthy democracy. However, this attempt to misrepresent the actions of other TDs within the same constituency does nothing to serve the constituents of this county and I would say it does them a disservice.
“The recent re-establishment of the cross-party Shannon Airport Oireachtas Group, which all four Clare TDs are members of, is a timely reminder of the duty of Oireachtas members to work together where possible to further the interests of their constituents. This collegiality is welcome and is of benefit to the people of Clare.
“However, this recent misleading commentary from Deputy McGettigan shares worrying shadows of the spiteful and disjointed politics we often see play out in other major Western countries and I would certainly not welcome its arrival here.
“All four Clare TDs have a mandate from the people and – as another elected representative said this week – this “makey up stuff” benefits no one.
