May 1 Legal ground to be set for Water Charges in Ireland

On Tuesday May 1 at the Carlton Hotel on the old airport road in Dublin, a conference that will be "open to the public" will set a part of the legal foundation for the introduction of water metering and charges on domestic dwellings. Minister Dick Roche will be in attendance.

Ray Earl of the Institute of Engineers in Ireland told the Pat Kenny show this morning that the Water Framework Directive International Conference takes place in the Carlton Hotel. Ray told the listeners that the "polluter pays principal" will apply to domestic water use and chages will be introduced as required under EU Directive. Ray also told listeners that the conference is open to the public.

Members of CFSD who have been plugging away at the poster ban wondered why there were no posters up advertising this important event. We phoned the Engineers Institute, they were not too perturbed and they also told our man that there was a charge of 475 euros for the three day conference. They told our man that DCC were involved in the conference. Councillor Joan Collins told our man she knew nothing about the conference and Councillor Collins is on the relevant enviornment committee of DCC, so is Dessie Ellis, Bronwen Maher etc.