Water tax: Tap the wealthy, not low-income and middle-income earners

Sinn Féin launches campaign against at the water tax outside the Dáil

WEEKEND media reports that the Fianna Fáil-led Government is planning a flat-rate water tax on families show Brian Cowen’s and Brian Lenihan’s “determination to keeping tapping the pockets of low-income and middle-income earners”, Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said.

This tax has nothing to do with water conservation.

The Government needs to shore up revenue from somewhere and they refuse to target wealth.

Sinn Féin have demonstrated that the Exchequer books can be balanced without introducing regressive taxes and without cutting vital services or welfare. All that is required is the political will to tap the wealthy.

A water tax is a tax on a basic human need.

Is there no level to which Brian Cowen, Brian Lenihan and John Gormley will not stoop to secure cash to bail out their cronies in the banks?

The Government needs to follow the advice of Fianna Fáil TD Mary O'Rourke and call an election immediately.