Sinn Féin’s council group leader Conor D. McGuinness has welcomed cross party support for his party’s motion on water services at the June meeting of Waterford City and County Council. The motion expressed support to water services workers that are currently in dispute with Government over plans to transfer their employment to Uisce Éireann / Irish Water. The motion also criticised the lack of local democratic accountability over the controversial water utility, and called on Government to set a date for a referendum on public ownership of water services.
McGuinness said:
The fact that the Sinn Féin motion was passed with unmanimous support speaks to the huge concern that exists across parties about the direction being taken by Uisce Éireann, formerly Irish Water.
“I have been engaging with local authority water services workers from across Waterford over the past ten months, and raising concerns about their employment and their conditions. I have raised their case at numerous council meetings only to met by silence. Water services workers are bitterly disappointed and deeply concerned by the decision to transfer water services to Uisce Éireann.
“I want to commend workers here and across the state who campaigned to defend their pay and conditions of employment. Industrial action was due to commence by SIPTU workers last week, but this has been deferred to allow the union and its members consider an eleventh-hour proposal from Government. Industrial action by SIPTU may yet occur and other unions including Unite and Connect are, I understand, considering their positions.
“Our motion send solidarity to our water services workers in their attempts to defend their pay and conditions, and it also calls for greater local democratic oversight when it comes to Water Services. Time and time again we as locally elected councillors are frustrated in out efforts to hold Irish Water to account on local and regional issues. We have no open forum to question managers and officials on their decisions, to make suggestions for improvements, or to propose areas for investment. Local democracy is being robbed of so many of its functions and powers over recent years, and the removal of water services is the latest in a long litany of moves to weaken local authorities.
“Finally the motion calls on Government to set a date for a referendum on public ownership of water services. This is a call that has been pushed by my party, the trade union movement, the right to water campaign and civil society. More recently it has found cross-party support, and is contained in the current coalition’s programme for government. The time for foot dragging is over, its beyond time a referendum date was set.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 