The mass opposition to water charges is being undermined by Sinn Féin politicians constantly changing positions on the campaign, according to Meath Workers’ Party representative Seamus McDonagh.
“The Sinn Féin position on water charges was changing weekly, now it is changing daily. Only two weeks ago TDs Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald publicly stated they would be paying the unfair water charge. Yet yesterday McDonald was pictured with local protesters halting the imposition of water meters in Cabra in Dublin,” Seamus McDonagh said.
“What we are seeing here is the classic tactics implemented by Fianna Fail for decades. Sinn Féin is a party that seeks to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. But the people will not be fooled”.
McDonagh added: “Sinn Féin must either come out and state that the party was wrong and has changed its mind and it now supporting the stopping of water charges now, something that will only be achieved by supporting the mass boycott campaign, or be exposed as cynical voter grabbers who only wish to use this people’s campaign for publicity.
“Recently in an interview dodgy billionaire and water meter installer, Denis O’Brien, stated that he has no fear of a government that includes Sinn Féin. He knows, as I know, that as in Northern Ireland Sinn Féin will implement austerity policies once in government. Sinn Féin must not be allowed to undermine the people’s democratic movement of opposition to the water charges as they have undermined similar progressive movements in the past”.