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Water Charges

Pictures: Anti-water charge protests have been taking place all over the country today

The organisers of the protests claim that 20,000 people took part in the demonstration earlier in Dublin.

23/1/2016. Right To Water Protest Dublin. A large Water charge protesters gathered at the GPO this afternoon Eamonn Farrell / Rollingnews.ie Eamonn Farrell / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

WATER CHARGE PROTESTS have been taking place today countrywide with at least 30 separate demonstrations reported by protest group right2water.

The main protest took place in Dublin with protesters occupying O’Connell Street and the main rally happening in front of the GPO –  Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald was among those to address the crowd.

Representatives from six trade unions and homeless campaigner Fr Peter McVerry were also present at the Dublin city centre protest

“We stand here today with the message to government, that if they think that they have gotten away with their water charges and their family home tax and their cutbacks, they are wrong,” she said in her speech to the crowd.

23/1/2016. Right To Water Protest Dublin. A large Eamonn Farrell / Rollingnews.ie Eamonn Farrell / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

23/01/16.National Day of Protest against water cha Rollingnews.ie Rollingnews.ie

23/01/15.National Day of Protest against water cha Leah Farrell / Rollingnews.ie Leah Farrell / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

IMG_20160123_155440 Órla Ryan / TheJournal.ie Órla Ryan / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
https://www.facebook.com/Right2WaterIreland/videos/vb.1490047894557619/1743822332513506/?type=2&theater

In truth conditions weren’t great for the various protests as rain covered most of the country throughout the afternoon.

Demonstrations were scheduled to happen in Galway, Cork and Limerick cities, with other protests planned for Cavan, Kerry, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, and Sligo amongst others.

The rain doesn’t seem to have significantly dampened protesters’ spirits however.

clonmel Water protesters in a rain-soaked Clonmel earlier Seamus Healy / Facebook Seamus Healy / Facebook / Facebook

 

https://www.facebook.com/Right2WaterIreland/posts/1743867545842318

Tweet by @Jennie O'Sullivan Jennie O'Sullivan / Twitter Jennie O'Sullivan / Twitter / Twitter

With at least two more mass demonstrations expected against water charges in the run-up to the coming election, the protest movement is set to keep its momentum as best it can in order to have water at the forefront of the electorate’s mind on polling day.

Right2water have said that one of those protests, slated for the Saturday afternoon before the general election, will be “the biggest demonstration in the history of the state”.

Read: Poll: Are water charges an election issue for you?

Read: Day of action: Everything you need to know about today’s Right2Water protests

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