There is a major contradiction at the heart of the Right2Water campaign, the latest protest of which takes place in Dublin today. Though Paul Murphy TD, speaking as a spokesperson for the campaign, has stated that the objective is to overthrow the government and force a general election, and marchers speaking on Morning Ireland this morning seemed more focused on marching against austerity, the stated objective is to force a total abolition of water charges and of Irish Water itself. This is being done in the name of a right to water.
A right to water has been enshrined in international conventions and it is certainly a most important right worth fighting for. Yet, as the UN has clarified, the essence of the right is the provision of water, namely a universal entitlement 'to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses'. On the basis of numerous reports from around the country about the poor quality of domestic water supplies and of sewage infrastructure in many areas, there is good evidence to show that this right is not sufficiently guaranteed to many Irish people. Furthermore, large amounts of water are being wasted due to leaks in the system, indicating the lack of sufficient investment in the system over a long period.
A campaign around the right to water is therefore long overdue and badly needed. However, the paradox is that the current campaign, with its aims of abolishing water charges and the public utility established...
