framing protesters in this light, it gives the

Authorities all the leeway for a massive

surveillance operation
StatefacespotentialIsissituationover
waterprotests
Noel Coonan TD receives death threat over Islamic State/water protests
comparison
Thu, Nov 20, 2014, 19:13 Updated: Thu, Nov 20, 2014, 19:27

Fine Gael TD for Tipperary North, Noel Coonan, has likened water protestors to ISIS in the Dil this
afternoon. Video: Oireachtas

Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to Email App

FineGaelTDNoelCoonanhasreceivedadeaththreatfollowinghiscomments
comparingthebehaviourofantiwaterchargeprotestorstothatoftheIslamic
Statejihadistrebelgroup.
MrCoonantoldtheDiltheStatewasfacingwhatispotentiallyanIsissituation
ifantiwaterchargeprotesterswereallowedtocontinuewiththeirdemonstrations.
SpeakingintheDilonamotiononwatersectorreforms,theTipperaryNorth
deputysaidsomeoftheprotestersinDublinwantedtoactlikeparasitesand
liveoffcountrypeoplewhohadpaidfortheirwaterovertheyears.
MrCoonandescribedthescenelastweekendwhenTnaisteJoanBurtonwas
trappedinhercarbyprotestersformorethantwohoursasdisgraceful.
Peoplewerehorrifiedbytheprotestsandthishasbeenanawakeningcallfor
them.
TheGovernmentbackbencherwasspeakingintheDilduringthetwodaydebate
onwatercharges.
Hesaidrecentbehaviourduringsocialistledprotestshadturnedthetidefor
peopleandthattherewasaneedforthedemonstrationstobenippedinthebud.
SocialistPartyTDPaulMurphyhasbeencriticisedforhisroleinaprotestatthe
weekendinwhichTnaisteJoanBurtonwastrappedinhercarinJobstownin
Dublinformorethantwohours.
MrMurphyhasinsistedtheprotestwaspeacefulandrejectedacallfrom
TaoiseachEndaKennytoapologisetoMsBurton.Protestershavecriticised
gardafortakingaheavyhandedapproachtopolicingtheprotests.
MrCoonansaid:ThepeopleofIrelandhavenowseenwhattheyarefacing
particularlywiththesocialistledproteststhatwerethere.
Thedisgracefulscenesthatwenton.Whattheydidtopeopleinpower.What
theydidtoourGardaSochnaandthatturnedthetideforpeople.
HesaidthepeopleinTemplemoreinCoTipperary,wherehelives,andacrossthe
countrywerehorrifiedbywhatsgoingon.
Ithinkthatithasbeenanawakeningcallforthembecausetheyarenow
concernedaboutelementsofsocialists,thesocalledwealthySocialistPartyledby
theMurph(PaulMurphy)andcompanyandaidedandabettedbyextremists
withinourcolleaguesherefromSinnFin,hesaid.
Thepeoplehavegiventhatsignalnowtousnipthatinthebud,ifnotweare
facingwhatispotentiallyanIsissituationintheMiddleEastifthosepeopleare
allowedgetontodowhattheyredoing.Godhelpthiscountryandpeoplerealise
that.
MrMurphylaterdefendedhimselfintheDil.HesaidtheTaoiseachhadcalled
himakidnapper,theTnaistedubbedhimaringleaderandnowFineGael
backbenchersarecallingmeanIsismilitant.
TheDublinSouthWestTDdescribedthecommentsashystericaloverreaction,
whichwereoffensivetothevictimsofIsis.
IslamicState,orIsis,isanextremist,jihadistrebelgroupthathastakencontrolof
territoryinIraqandSyriawithaviewtocreatinganIslamiccaliphate.Ithasbeen
criticisedforitsbrutalityandhaspublishedanumberofvideosonlineofWestern
hostagesbeingbeheaded.
MrCoonanspartycolleagueCatherineByrnesaidshewasdisappointedtoseeMr
Murphyclaimwithagrinonhisface,thathehadarrangedanagreementwiththe
protestorstolettheTnaistego.
Whatapatheticwaytobeginonescareerinpoliticsshesaid,adding:Thisis
nottheMiddleEast.Weliveinademocraticsociety.
TheDublinSouthCentralTDstaunchlydefendedtheroleofgarda.
Inanimpassionedspeech,MsByrne,whosesonisamemberoftheforce,saidshe
wantedtotalkaboutthemothers,fathers,wives,husbands,childrenand
grandchildrenofthosewhoproudlyweartheblueuniformofAnGarda
Sochna.
Shesaidhersonsonethoughtwhenheputonhisuniformeverydaywasto
upholdthelawandprotectpeoplelivingincommunities.
ShesaidtotheOpposition:Howwouldyoulikeyoursonordaughtertobespat
at,kickedintheshinsandverballyabused?Ihaveneverheardsuchabusebefore
anditiswrong.
TheGovernmentyesterdayannouncedarevisedpackageofwatercharges
followingaseriesofprotestsacrosstheStateinrecentweeks.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/state-faces-potential-isis-
situation-over-water-protests-1.2009289

Minister confirms existence

of Garda 'Operation Mizen'
for policing water charge
protests
Frances Fitzgerald has confirmed the existence of 'Operation
Mizen', but said no public representatives are under
surveillance
Eoin Brennan17:34 Thursday 8 October 2015

NEWS

The Minister for Justice has confirmed that a Garda

operation code-named 'Operation Mizen' has been
established as a measure for policing anti-water
charge protests.
The existence of a Garda surveillance operation on anti-water
charges protesters has previously been reported on but
remained unconfirmed by the Government or Garda.
In a written answer to a Dil question from Paul Murphy TD,
which asked for clarification on the existence of Operation
Mizen, Minister Frances Fitzgerald said she has been
informed by Garda authorities that Operation Mizen:
http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates
%20Authoring/WebAttachments.nsf/
($vLookupByConstructedKey)/dail~20151006/$File/Daily
%20Book%20Writtens%20Unrevised.pdf?openelement
 was established ... to provide appropriate policing responses
to maintain public order and to ensure the safety of all
involved in protests against water charges.
The Minister neither accepted nor refuted Mr Murphy's use of
the term "surveillance" but confirmed that garda are
monitoring "open source" activity in relation to protests.
One avenue" used by Operation Mizen, is the use of open
source information, the Minister said. This information is
generally and publicly available on the internet and social
media platforms, she added.
Although she did not elaborate on what other methods the
operation used, Ms Fitzgerald said Operation Mizen does not
engage in technical surveillance or lawful interception, adding
that she has been assured no public representative or
member of the public is subject to such surveillance by
Operation Mizen.
A report in The Irish Daily Mail in August of this year claimed
that Operation Mizen had at that point been monitoring
protesters and gathering intelligence for six months.
Paul Murphy, Anti-Austerity Alliance TD, has said the
admission from Ms Fitzgerald means questions need to be
asked.
Confirmation of the existence of Operation Mizen should
cause serious worries across society to those who think that
the right to protest is a fundamental democratic right, he said.
A number of weeks ago when I raised this issue with the
Taoiseach, he dismissed it as if it was impossible that such a
unit would exist within the Garda, however now with this
confirmation from the Minister further questions need to be
asked.
When questioned by Mr Murphy in the Dl in September of
this year the Taoiseach said he had no knowledge of the
operation and said the query should be referred to the Minister
for Justice.
More specific answers are required on what types of
surveillance are being used by Operation Mizen, Mr Murphy
said.
Referring to the Ministers remark that one avenue used by
the Garda..is the use of open source information.that is
generally publicly available Mr Murphy has said, That sounds
fine, but what other avenues are they using?
There are further questions which her reply raises, Mr
Murphy said.
The Ministers answer does not rule out that (elected
representatives) are under different forms of surveillance, Mr
Murphy said.
The Ministers referral to the Criminal Justice (Surveillance)
Act of 2009 also leads to questions, Mr Murphy said.
Under the Act a District Court must approve a Garda
application to place someone under surveillance. However, Mr
Murphy says this would not prevent short term surveillance
operations on individuals, and he is hoping for clarification on
this issue.
There are measures under the Act [section 8] by which if the
Garda wished they can bypass the court for a period of 4
months to track someone. Potentially, Operation Mizen have
could have used this legislation to track people without having
to go to the courts.
In response to a separate question from Paul Murphy, Ms
Fitzgerald confirmed that the most readily available statistics
show there have been 188 arrests in relation to water
protests from November 2014 to date. Some of these arrests
would have been the same individual arrested multiple times,
the Minister added.
Of those 188 there have been 91 arrests for public order
offences, and a further 75 under Section 12 of the Water
Services Act, with 6 arrested for criminal damage and a further
6 for assault of an Irish Water employee or a Garda.
Replying to a separate question, the Minister confirmed
Garda spent some 139,000 on surveillance equipment in
2014.
http://www.newstalk.com/Minister-confirms-existence-of-Garda-
surveillance-operation-on-water-charge-protesters
Leo Varadkar: Theres a
sinister fringe of violent Irish
Water protesters
His comments come following last nights protest at Coolock Garda
Station.
Nov 6th 2014,

LEO VARADKAR HAS said that there is a very sinister

fringe of water charges protesters who behave in a violent
way.
The Health Minister was speaking following a
demonstration outside Coolock Garda Station in Dublin last
night.
He said that some protesters are particularly aggressive
towards garda, noting: Its only a matter of time before
someone gets hurt or worse.
Varadkar made the comments on Newstalk Breakfast. When
presenter Ivan Yates asked if he was smearing the 150,000
people who marched in anti-water charges protests across
the country last Saturday, he said he was not and stressed
that he knows most demonstrators are peaceful.
Speaking in Cork today, the Minister for the Environment
Alan Kelly said:
I worry from a society point of view and from being a citizen
of this country about the motives of a very very very small
quantity of those people. I believe there is a fringe out there
who are using genuine people, genuine protesters for other
political ambitions and it is sinisterand that would be the
feeling of people inside and outside politics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZCsXUhMzWg

View image on Twitter

 Follow

Anthony Meehan
21 garda cars outside coolock police station
7:20 PM - 5 Nov 2014
! 22 22 Retweets13 13 likes
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Source: Anthony Meehan/Twitter

Earlier yesterday, three people were arrested at a protest at

Santry Sports Club club for obstruction. They have since
been released.
https://www.facebook.com/darren.obrien.58/videos/10203
397218234056/

Varadkar called on Sinn Fin, the Socialist Party and the

Anti-Austerity Alliance to condemn the violence shown by
some protesters.
AAA Councillor Michael OBrien was involved in the protests
yesterday. He called Varadkars comments a desperate
attempt by the Minister to try to discredit the anti-water
charge movement and to cover up for the thuggish
behaviour of the Garda.
There were reports on Facebook that pepper spray was used
on some protesters last night but garda would not confirm if
this was the case.
Yesterday, the High Court granted an order setting up a 20-
metre exclusion zone around water meter installations.
The Economic Management Council - comprising the
Taoiseach, Tnaiste and Finance and Public Expenditure
Ministers will meet today with Environment Minister Alan
Kelly and Communications Minister Alex White to discuss
finalising how much water charges will cost.
Varadkar said that he didnt want to comment on numbers
as the more different figures we have out there the more
confusion itll cause.
He admitted that the Government is having a bad month
but stated: This is an issue that well get on top of.
eirigi destroy Leo Varadkar

The hysteria from our Free Staters has reached hitherto, unseen
levels. Even someone like myself dissmissive of protests for their
ineffectiveness has been astonisihed at the reaction from the Free
Stater's politicians.

Leo Varadkar has been at the front of this hysteria, worrying about
'fringe' elements inside the water protesters. Infiltrating, sneaking,
touching, hypnotizing and God knows what else.

Eirigi have responded in kind to Varadkar, pointing out the dangers

of 'fringe' elements. Not in water protests though, in the Free State
itself. I must warn our Free Staters that this may hurt your little
eyes, as your gombeen state is given a right good lashing.

"Leo Varadkar talking about a 'sinister fringe' of the anti-Water Tax

movement.

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that subjected tens of thousands of

children to physical, psychological and sexual abuse in industrial
and reform schools?
Is that the 'sinister fringe' that buries dead babies and children in
septic tanks?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that sent hundreds of blue-shirted

fascists to Spain to fight for Franco?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that left the nationalist population of the
Six Counties at the mercy of the Orange state?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that has overseen mass economic

emigration of millions of Irish citizens since 1922?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that allowed one church to dominate

social matters including healthcare and education for decades?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that has all but given away hundreds of
billions of euros worth of fishing rights, zinc, lead, oil and gas to the
private sector?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that views political power as an

inheritance to be handed down through family dynasties?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that ignores the results of referendums

until they get the result that they want?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that created a cosy little tax haven for
the benefit of domestic and foreign corporations alike?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that nationalised the debts of the private
banking sector and private property developers, inflicting decades of
debt onto this and future generations?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that collaborated with the Troika to turn
the Twenty-Six County state into a neo-liberal economic
experiment?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that is trying to commodify Ireland's

water resources and water services?

Is that the 'sinister fringe' that is more commonly known as 'The

Golden Circle'?

You know what Leo - you and the political and economic elite (of
which you are an integral part) are the most dangerous 'sinister
fringe' that the Irish people have ever had to face.
Since before the time of partition your gombeen political class has
talked the talk of democracy and fairness whilst systematically and
deliberately creating a deeply anti-democratic and unfair economy
and society. So away with ye and your scare tactics.

The days of you and your class being able to control through lies
and fear are gone. Social media and the widespread use of phones
and video are changing Ireland in a way that you do not even
understand.

FACT: Yesterday your police attacked peaceful protesters in Santry

FACT: Those same police later used pepper spray and otherwise
attempted to provoke mayhem on the streets of Coolock
FACT: Hundreds of people joined a loud and passionate protest
outside of Coolock Garda Barracks to rightly challenge the
behaviour of the Garda
FACT: Despite ample provocation the protest was non-violent and
indeed the very people who you refer to as a 'sinister fringe' -
Republicans - were instrumental in ensuring that people didn't rise
to the provocation."
http://www.thejournal.ie/water-charges-protests-1765120-Nov2014/

Hard left adept at

exploiting fury at water
charges, but in power
they'd be a disaster
Socialist Party TDs Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy outside
Leinster House

David Quinn

November 7 2014

InBritaintheyhaveUKIP,whichisridingawaveofantiestablishmentangertothepointwherethey
nowthreatenthehegemonyoftheConservativesandLabourinaseriousway.HereinIreland,wehave
aragtagbandofpopulistleftwingpoliticians,suchasPaulMurphy,thenewlyelectedTDoftheIrish
SocialistParty.

IwonderifpeoplereallyknowwhattheyareelectingwhentheychoosethelikesofMurphy,orhis
partycolleague,RuthCoppinger?

CoppingerwasontheSeanMoncrieffshowearlierthisweekandexplainedinfullwhatitmeans.

Government Now Brands Water Charge Protesters as Dissident Republicans

In a sinister twist, dissident republicans have infiltrated groups protesting against water
charges.

They are being blamed for a barrage of attacks on gardai trying to safeguard staff installing
the meters.

...
During the violence, which involved the dissidents, a garda inspector was badly attacked, a
female garda had a car window smashed and a volley of missiles was fired at the garda
station.

Several of those taking part in the water meter protests have been arrested in the past by
gardai investigating outbreaks of violence at other demonstrations.

Many of them are well known to the gardai for their connections with associates of Ryan,
who was shot dead by criminals on the northside of the city in September 2012.

"There is a hardcore group, who turn up anywhere they think they can exploit a legitimate
demonstration and cause trouble," one officer said.

"They are like a rent-a-crowd mob," he added.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar yesterday blamed what he called a "sinister fringe" for
hijacking the water protests.

He said he feared a repeat of the violent scenes at Coolock garda station and was worried
that it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt.
When the labeling of protesters as 'lefties' and 'socialists' did not work, of course
they decided to try a new bogeyman - dissadent republicans!

Yes, if you protest now, you are not only a leftist but also a TERRORIST!

What really makes this hilarious is in every thread we have here on the water
charge protests multiple people called this weeks ago. It's an obvious attempt to
try and cull the huge numbers by associating the protest with something people
are against. Since calling them socialists didn't work, now they have moved to
terrorists.

If that doesn't work expect DOB and the Indo to tell us all the protesters are
paedos next.

Oh, and for good measure the Indo threw in an nice article on how all socialists
like the ones in the Dail are actually murderers as well...

Yeah, when they start trying to demonise the electorate and use such scare
tactics you know they are completely out of ideas. It would appear now they are
just going to berate people and try and call them names since bribes and
threatens did not work.

Here I was a few days ago marching in Dublin to a protest and as it turns out, it
was just a big Real IRA meeting according to Leo and the Gards. Yup, we are all
members of the Real IRA now according to the Gards and their 'report'. I would
really like to see that report. I didn't know the Real IRA had 150,000 members
here in Ireland.
As Paul Murphy pointed out on Morning Ireland, that when people were protesting
at Rossport, the owner of the Independent had oil interests, and now the owner
of the Independent has an interest in water meters.

On both occasions the Independent launched attacks against the protestors.

Independent got a bailout.

Siteserv got a bailout.

Depends what you mean by "infiltrate". If you mean dissidents also protest, then
yes, I assume they do. People of various political hues, and none, are on the
move and mobilising in opposition to the water tax.
By the way, how mnay dissidents do we have in the Republic? Under 1000 is my
guesstimate. How mnay protested last week, oh yes, over 150,000. A few weeks
ago, 100,000. On the 10th, lets wait and see, certainly in the tens of thousands in
any case.

So this talk of "infiltration"...a smokescreen, an attempted distraction, in essence

nothing more.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/david-quinn/hard-
left-adept-at-exploiting-fury-at-water-charges-but-in-power-theyd-
be-a-disaster-30725264.html

Water protests infiltrated

by dissidents as meters
on hold

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tanaiste Joan Burton

Tom Brady, Niall O'Connor and Fionnan Sheahan

November 7 2014

The installation of water meters in trouble spots in Dublin

has been halted in the wake of protests turning violent,
the Irish Independent has learned.
The move comes as the Coalition is "actively examining" a
toughening up of the water charges regime, to allow the
deduction of payment from the salaries and social welfare
of householders who refuse to pay their bills.

'Enda Kenny, we won't pay' - Thousands march to protest

over water charges
In a sinister twist, dissident republicans have infiltrated
groups protesting against water charges.
They are being blamed for a barrage of attacks on gardai
trying to safeguard staff installing the meters.
A decision has now been taken by the installation
company, GMC Sierra, to postpone further work in key
areas until they have reviewed the impact of a High Court
order creating a 20-metre exclusion zone around water
meter installations.
The development has resulted in the cancellation of
planned works today and it is now not clear whether these
will resume on Monday.
Taoiseach rules out referendum on Irish Water sell of
Senior garda officers said last night that they continued to
be available to ensure that the law was not broken in the
trouble spots, "if and when required".
Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey, who is in
charge of policing in the capital, will today hold talks with
representatives of Irish Water and GMC Sierra to discuss
how the exclusion zones should be operated.
It has emerged that known activists associated with
members of the Real IRA faction, formerly led by Alan
Ryan, have hijacked a series of protests on the northside of
Dublin.
The violence escalated on Wednesday night outside
Coolock garda station on the northside of Dublin where a
large group of demonstrators, mainly comprising genuine
householders protesting against the proposed charges, had
gathered.
During the violence, which involved the dissidents, a garda
inspector was badly attacked, a female garda had a car
window smashed and a volley of missiles was fired at the
garda station.
Several of those taking part in the water meter protests
have been arrested in the past by gardai investigating
outbreaks of violence at other demonstrations.
Many of them are well known to the gardai for their
connections with associates of Ryan, who was shot dead by
criminals on the northside of the city in September 2012.
"There is a hardcore group, who turn up anywhere they
think they can exploit a legitimate demonstration and
cause trouble," one officer said.
"They are like a rent-a-crowd mob," he added.
Health Minister Leo Varadkar yesterday blamed what he
called a "sinister fringe" for hijacking the water protests.
He said he feared a repeat of the violent scenes at Coolock
garda station and was worried that it was only a matter of
time before someone got hurt.
As the Government continues to prepare its new water
charges plan, the reduction of water pressure or
disconnection of the water supply for those who won't pay
is being ruled out.
However, the Coalition is looking at strengthening the
penalties for non-payment.
Involving the Revenue Commissioners in the collection
process has already been ruled out, but sources insisted
that targeting wages and dole payments is firmly on the
table.
The attachment to earnings would be on foot of court
orders.
However, Environment Minister Alan Kelly is understood
to be keen to avoid any such approach that will antagonise
an electorate that is becoming increasingly hostile to water
charges.
"There are mechanisms which would allow us to touch
people's welfare payments but it would have to be done
sensitively," a source said.
Senior Labour Party sources say agreeing the latest water
charges package has proven "extremely difficult", but
claim there is no "fundamental disagreement" between
Tanaiste Joan Burton and Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Ms Burton yesterday fuelled speculation that relations
were fraught over the issue. The Labour leader was asked
on three occasions whether the fiasco would "sink" the
Government but refused to rule out such a notion.
There is now a consensus in both Fine Gael and Labour
that the final package will not be agreed until the week
after next - despite growing unrest among backbenchers in
both parties.
A senior Labour source said the Tanaiste was determined
to ensure the negotiations were not rushed.
"We have one shot at this, we need to get it right," the
source said.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/water/water-protests-
infiltrated-by-dissidents-as-meters-on-hold-30725389.html

When they labelling of protesters as 'lefties' and 'socialists' did not work, of course they
decided to try a new bogeyman dissident republicans!

Yes, if you protest now, you are not only a leftist but also a TERRORIST!

What really makes this hilarious is in every thread we have here on the water charge
protests multiple people called this weeks ago. It's an obvious attempt to try and cull the
huge numbers by associating the protest with something people are against. Since calling
them socialists didn't work, now they have moved to terrorists.

If that doesn't work expect DOB and the Indo to tell us all the protesters are paedos next.

Oh, and for good measure the Indo threw in an nice article on how all socialists like the
ones in the Dail are actually murderers as well...

Yeah, when they start trying to demonise the electorate and use such scare tactics you
know they are completely out of ideas. It would appear now they are just going to berate
people and try and call them names since bribes and threatens did not work.

Here I was a few days ago marching in Dublin to a protest and as it turns out, it was just a
big Real IRA meeting according to Leo and the Gards. Yup, we are all members of the Real
IRA now according to the Gards and their 'report'. I would really like to see that report. I
didn't know the Real IRA had 150,000 members here in Ireland.
This is absolute nonsense. Its more likely to anger even further the ordinary
people who were out en masse to have these fictitious labels hurled upon in a last
gasp attempt to curb the rising tide of animosity toward this government.

They have lost their mandate. They should recognise the signs.
I protested and I am not a terrorist, so I take it as an offense to me and my
family who did attend to be labelled as such.
It really shows their mentality if they are going to start branding us all as
terrorists.

Reasonable People vs. The Sinister Fringe

Interrogating the framing of Ireland's water charge protestors through
the media politics of dissent

Resistance to austerity in Ireland has until recently been largely muted.

In 2013 domestic water charges were introduced and throughout 2014 a
series of protests against the charges emerged, culminating in over 90
separate marches on November 1. In this paper we examine the
discourses which are produced and circulated by politicians and the
mainstream media about this protest movement, and ofer a brief insight
into the contemporary Irish context of austerity and crisis. We analyse
the role of the phrase sinister fringe as a discursive device, and unpick
the ways in which it has been used to explain the water charges protests
to the Irish public. Our conclusions speak to the currency of the protest
paradigm as a means of understanding news media reporting of protest.
Ultimately we raise concerns regarding the efects of this dominant
frame on deliberative democracy.
Reasonable people v the sinister fringe- interrogating the framing of Irelands
water charge protestors through the media politics of dissent 2015
https://ulir.ul.ie/bitstream/handle/10344/4481/Power_2015_resonable.pdf?
sequence=2
http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1210/665829-water-charges-updates/

Share, P. and Corcoran, M.P. (eds) (2010) Ireland of the Illusions: A

Sociological Chronicle 20072008. Dublin: IPA.

Silke, H. (2014) Irish Water has brought us together, November:

https://criticalmediareview.wordpress.com

The Journal.ie (2014a) Tens of thousands take to the streets of Dublin to

protest against water charges, available:

http://www.thejournal.ie/water-charge-protest-in-dublin- 1718557-Oct2014/

The Journal.ie (2014b) As it happened: Tens of thousands protest against

water charges, available:

http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-water-protests-liveblog-1756926-Nov2014/

Thompson, G. (2007). Responsibility and Neo-liberalism. Open Democracy.

available:

http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/responsibility_and_neo_liberalism
Alan Kelly worried about
"sinister fringe" among Irish
Water protests
Minister for Environment agrees with assertion of Leo
Varadkar
6 Nov 2014

Share to LinkedIn
The Minister for the Environment has criticised what he
describes as a "sinister fringe" taking part in protests against
Irish Water.
Alan Kelly was speaking as he confirmed that people who do
not pay their water bill will not have their supply cut off or
reduced.
The Government insists the charge will be "modest", but it
may be after next week before there is clarity on the exact
cost.
Minister Kelly stressed that the vast majority of protesters
were not violent, but he was concerned about the sinister
element.
I worry from a society point of view and from being a citizen of
this country, about the motives of a very, very, very small
quantity of those people, Mr Kelly said.
I believe there is a fringe out there who are using genuine
people, genuine protestors for other political ambitions.
It is sinister, I agree with my colleague, and that would be the
feeling of people inside and outside politics, Mr Kelly said.
Last night a group of approximately 200 people protested
outside Coolock Garda station in response to the arrests of
three protesters earlier Wednesday in Santry. There were
reports of physical confrontations. There were no arrests
made.
Health Minister Leo Varadkar, speaking to Newstalk Breakfast,
said there is a very sinister fringe among water charges
protesters who are behaving in a violent manner. Mr Varadkar
claimed that some protesters are particularly aggressive
towards garda and are spreading misinformation.
What Im worried about is that it is only a matter of time
before someone gets hurt, he said.
"While there are a lot of people protesting legitimately and
reasonably, this fringe element is very sinister.
"It is a very nasty fringe to these water protests.
Mr Varadkar called on the parties who oppose water charges
to condemn violent actions of protesters.
"I think it is really important that Sinn Fein, the Austerity
Alliance and Independents all condemn the violence and the
abuse of gardai that occurred yesterday, Mr Varadkar said.
Anti-Austerity Alliance Councillor Michael OBrien, who was
involved in the protests outside Coolock Garda station,
rejected Minister Varadkars claims, saying they are an effort
to discredit the protests.
This is a desperate attempt by the Minister to try to discredit
the anti-water charge movement and to cover up for the
thuggish behaviour of the Garda, Mr OBrien said.
http://www.newstalk.com/Alan-Kelly-worried-about-sinister-fringe-
among-Irish-Water-protests

Poll: Will you protest against

water charges today?
The protests are set to take place around the country.
Nov 1st 2014
Image: PA Wire/Press Association Images
TODAY WILL SEE protests taking place around the country
against the introduction of water charges.
Pressure has been growing on the coalition over the charges,
with Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett, who is opposed to the
charges, predicting that more than 100,000 people will turn
up at the protests.
Meanwhile, Phil Hogan said that people can protest all they
like, but its either water charges or more income tax.
We want to know: Will you protest against water
charges today?

Poll Results:

S IT
HAPPENED: TENS OF THOUSANDS
PROTEST AGAINST WATER CHARGES
We followed the demonstrations as they took place around the
country.
SATURDAY 1ST OF NOV 2014

TODAY SAW MORE than 100,000 people taking to the

streets of towns and cities all over Ireland to protest
against the introduction of water charges.
We liveblogged the demonstrations, and reaction to
them, as they happened, from 11am.
Heres how it all went.

11:02AM 1 NOV 14
Will you be attending a protest? Thats what were
asking in todays poll. Heres the reaction so far:

http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-water-protests-liveblog-
1756926-Nov2014/
These are the most nationwide protests that we have seen in the recent history of
the State, he said.

His claim about tomorrows marches came as former minister Pat Rabbitte TD
claimed that the public mood is being exploited by those opposed to water
charges.

Speaking on the same programme, Rabbitte said that claims about

the privatisation of the water supply are a red herring from those opposed to
Irish Water.

Rabbitte compared the objections to the utility to the objections to bin charges,
something he says was detrimental to the service in the long run.

People are very apprehensive after six years of hardship. They are tired of
charges and that mood is being exploited by the same people who gave you the
anti-bin charges protests, Rabbitte said. And remember where the anti-bin
charges protests led to it led the privatisation of the bin services and it led to
people not being able to pay.
So, there is no danger, its an entire red herring about privatisation of
water services. There wont be any privatisation of water services. No
government with its head screwed on would seek to privatise
something as critical as the water supply.
Rabbitte said that in some parts of the country water services are derelict and
that the water is not fit to drink. These issues, he said, need up to 1 billion a
year for the next ten years to fix.

The State doesnt have the 1 billion, so the reason it set up a new company in
public ownership to treat and supply water is that that new company will be able
to go the markets to borrow the investment that is necessary to give us a water
system thats fit for purpose, he argued.

Asked what mistakes have been made in the establishment of Irish Water,
Rabbitte said that the Government had been under constant pressure from the
Troika to set up the utility in two years while similar systems in Europe took three
to five years to establish.

But Boyd Barrett said that Rabbitte was being entirely disingenuous.
I met the Troika, Im on the the finance committee, the Troika made it
absolutely clear that we could switch one measure for another as long
as it brought it the same money so theyd have no problem if wed
brought in a wealth tax and not water charges, he said.
He gave the example of a Financial Transaction Tax in Ireland which could raise
up to 100m asking: Which is fairer, a 0.1% tax on financial speculation or
hundreds and hundreds of euro on the backs of ordinary people?
The protests are kicking off at a range of different times according to
Right2Water, some began at 11am, while others wont begin until
2pm.

It says that over 90 protests have been arranged so far.