The Killmeaden based Councillor has said it is outrageous that no minutes were kept of high level meetings between former Minster Phil Hogan and the Chairperson of Bord Gáis when crucial decisions were made about Irish Water.

“I am appalled at the manner in which Minster Kelly last week attempted to shrug off this very serious revelation. It is extremely serious that no minuets were kept of meetings when vital decisions were made about Irish Water that would have a huge impact on Waterford taxpayers for decades to come,” said Cllr O ‘Leary.

“This is the latest evidence of the Government’s deliberate attempt to shroud Irish Water in secrecy from the outset. Very serious questions remain about the establishment of this hugely expensive and controversial Super Quango and we now learn that not only is the Government refusing to answer those questions , It actually went out of its way not to keep a record of meetings when crucial decisions were made on behalf of taxpayers.

“The Waterford taxpayers are paying dearly for the culture of secrecy at Irish Water. This is not about water conservation or the need to upgrade our water system. This is about the unnecessary decision made by Fine Gael and Labour to set up a hugely expensive super quango that operates with impunity and is not held accountable to the taxpayers who fund it.

He added: “I have now requested an urgent meeting with Minster Kelly and I am calling for an investigation into why minutes were not kept of the meetings between Minster Phil Hogan and Bord Gáis management in 20112. It is simply unacceptable that a series of decisions involving the establishment of Irish Water, who would run it and how it would be funded remain a secret. It flies in the face of every single promise made to voters in Waterford by Fine Gael and Labour about open and transparent Government.”

Anti-Water Charge protestors marching over Rice Bridge and onto The Quay on Saturday last. | Photo: Mick Wall

Representatives of many local communities and groups were involved in the march, with a number of well-known activists addressing the crowd on The Mall.

Though the number was significantly down on a previous march late last year, acting chair of the local Right2Water group Sean Walsh said those who turned out were representing the one million people who had not registered with Irish Water.

Mr Walsh, who is based in Portlaw, said the march was about more than water – it was about the years of austerity ‘that have been heaped onto the backs of ordinary, hard-working people’.

“These people took to the streets because the Government is not listening to them”, he continued. “They want to put further taxes onto people who are already crippled by taxes. It is a terrible injustice to the ordinary worker and people have enough.”

Meanwhile, Senator David Cullinane, who was selected as Sinn Féin’s general election candidate on Friday last, said the time has come to scrap the charge and for the coalition to go.

“The people are overwhelmingly opposed to the imposition water charges,” said Senator Cullinane. “The sharp reality is that many families are going to be forced over the poverty line by these charges…

“The people will have their ultimate say on the matter in the ballot box at the general election. Fianna Fáil devised these charges. Fine Gael and the Labour Party are imposing them.

“Sinn Féin is standing with the people. We are principally opposed to domestic water charges and any move to privatise our water services. Sinn Féin in government will scrap water charges.”