Sir, – As Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have such confidence in their legal advice that Ireland will not face penalties from the EU should we fail to introduce water charges for excess use, I propose that they deal with Simon Coveney’s concerns by offering to pay any such fines from their own party funds should this advice turn out to be wrong. – Yours, etc,
FRANK E BANNISTER,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – Water is a human right, therefore we shouldn’t have to pay for it, goes the argument. We also need food to survive but I haven’t heard anyone suggest we should march into our local supermarket and demand bread and milk as a “human right”.
Let’s get real here. Clean, drinkable water costs dearly to provide and we should all pay our share.
To abolish charges even for excessive usage is populist madness. – Yours, etc,
SALLY SWEENEY,
Carrigavantry,
Co Waterford.
A chara, – The phoney war between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil has recommenced about water charges. The reported “major rift” between the parties will be quickly removed. Their lust for power will predominate as usual. One has to remember that it was the Fianna Fáil/Green government, of which Willie O’Dea and Micheál Martin were ministers, which agreed with the troika that water charges would be implemented. Now Fianna Fáil won’t agree to any charges despite its previous commitment. It is shameless and will not act in a civic manner unless it suits its political ambitions on the day. I think we are entitled to hear the views of the other parties as to how we can deal with this issue. – Yours, etc,
DAVID J FITZGERALD,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
A chara, – With the news that water charges are likely to be repaid in full, I presume that, in the spirit of this ongoing saga, this repayment will be made to everyone, whether they paid their water charges or not. – Is mise,
LOMAN Ó LOINGSIGH,
Dublin 24.
Sir, – If we can believe the “leaks” coming from the commission on water, we can be confident that even in the unlikely event of a heatwave this summer, our lawns and gardens will still be looking their best. – Yours, etc,
JOHN EGAN,
Carlow.