Thousands took to the streets in the Irish capital, Dublin, in protest against controversial water charges, introduced as part of the country’s bailout deal with international creditors.
Press TV report: On Saturday, the demonstrators gathered at the Connolly Station, Heuston Station, and Merrion Square, before heading towards the O’Connell Bridge.
The demonstrations have been organized by the Right2Water campaign, which is an umbrella organization for tens of local opposition groups and trade unions.
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“We have one objective and that’s to seek a repudiation of the domestic water charges legislation,” protest organizer, Brendan Ogle, said, adding that this would be the country’s major issue in its next general elections.
The latest wave of anti-water charges protests came as the first water bills are due to be issued to domestic users in April.
The Right2Water says it should be up to the people to decide to pay the charges or not.
The Irish government decided to charge households for water as part of austerity measures over the bailout deal announced in 2010 by the troika of international creditors – the European Union, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Opposition against the charges has grown in recent months.
