Under article 9.4 of the EU water framework directive members states are exempt from charging for water if they can prove they are taking water conservation measures.
Eoghan Murphy, Minister For Housing, Planning & Local Government, has requested submissions on Ireland’s new River Basin Management plan.
The Right2Water campaign have drafted a submission that re-states the campaign’s commitment to rejection of all charges, paying for water through general taxation, scrapping Irish water and using the 9.4 exemption clause.
Scotland has uses the 9.4 exemption to avoid water charges. They have a national education campaign on water conservation which, under the 9.4 clause, allows them to reject water charges.
The Irish government should instigate a national education campaign on water conservation and the Irish state should continue to pay for water infrastructure and provision through general taxation as a progressive way to raise revenue.
People Before Profit fully support the Right2Water submission.