Thousands gather for anti-water charge protest

Thousands of people have gathered outside Government Buildings to protest against water charges.

Right2Water has described today's event as "family-friendly".

Feeder marches from both the north and south of the city have converged at the main stage on the junction of Merrion Square South and Merrion Square West.

Right2Water estimate that over 100,000 people are attending the protest, while gardaí have put the figure at "30,000 plus."

Kildare Street is now sealed at the Nassau Street and Stephen's Green entrance and the Molesworth street entrance.

Missiles and water bottles have been thrown at gardaí on Kildare Street as protesters attempted to break through a barrier. 

One garda was treated at the scene for an eye injury.

Uniformed gardaí are reinforcing the barrier to stop protesters pushing through, while members of the public order unit wearing body armour are also on the street.

Earlier, Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has said that he does not envisage any change to the water charges.

He also said he has not seen a realistic alternative from the Opposition on how they will pay the billions needed to improve water infrastructure.

On the expected turnout for today's protest, the Minister said he does not get into figures and it was not an issue for him.

He also said the water issue could have been handled better by the minister who preceded him.

Minister of State at Department of the Environment Paudie Coffey has also said there would be no change in the Government's policy on water charges despite today's protest in Dublin.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said the Government was putting in place a national utility to invest in essential infrastructure.

He said the Government recognises peoples' right to protest and it had listened and acted and revised the water charging system, which will cost €1.15 a week for a single household or €3 for a multiple-person household.

"That's for the provision of drinking water but also to pay for the disposal and treatment of raw sewerage."

Mr Coffey said the Government had moved as far as it can and that alternatives proposed by opponents such as Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy are not sustainable.

"I think If we look closely at what that economic argument is, it's  to raise further taxes on working people to pay for this water".

Asked about the possibility of people not paying, Mr Coffey said almost 950,000 people had already registered with Irish Water and the Government expected that one million will have registered by Christmas.

Live - Water charges protest

Mr Murphy said people will come out in big numbers because they have not been satisfied by the new package on water charges announced last month by Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly and have not been fooled by it.

Mr Murphy said people will be demonstrating their anger at the Government but it will be a peaceful, family-friendly event.

Speaking on the same programme, he said: "If we don't defeat the water charges and bring down the Government in the aftermath of this - the way we'll do it is in April when the bills come with the massive boycott that will completely undermine these charges and make them unworkable.

"Water charges must be defeated. Any charge for water whatsoever represents the start of the commodification of water - charges will only go in one direction, which is up - and it will lead to privatisation." 

He said he was not at the water charge debate in the Dáil that continued until the early hours of this morning, because he said he had to attend a Right2Water meeting and was then preparing for today's protest.

He said four campaigners from Detroit are joining the protest and when asked who funded their trip, he said:  "I think they were funded by the unions involved in the Right2Water campaign".

Traffic restrictions are in place in Dublin city centre for the anti-water charge protest.

The protest is the latest in a number of anti-water demonstrations which have taken place across the country in recent months.

Buses carrying protesters left Galway, Sligo, Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Tipperary, Clare and Limerick this morning.

Members of the Detroit Water Brigade, who are taking part in the demonstration, will visit Cobh in Co Cork tomorrow afternoon, where an anti-water metre campaign is continuing.

The delegation will address a Right2Water meeting in Cork city tomorrow night.

The Detroit Water Brigade claims that 40% of the population in Detroit is facing having its water cut off.

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