A GROUP of 25 protesters from the local Right2Water movement gathered outside of White’s Hotel last Wednesday morning in anticipation of the arrival of Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin who was attending to officially open the Wexford Business Expo.
However, the group was met only by a strong garda presence as the senior Labour Party politician opted to enter the hotel from the car park instead of using the main entrance.
Spokesperson for the Right2Water group Aislinn Wallace noted her frustration at the minister’s refusal to, as she claimed, “Face the public”.
“He was not willing to face us. He was there to promote a business expo, but the reality is that the recovery is not coming down to the ordinary citizens so I find it all very hypocritical,” said Ms Wallace.
She added that she felt that the demonstration received the backing of a number of different business owners who were attending the expo and stopped for a moment to speak with the protesters.
The Right2Water group is an amalgamation of a number of different political parties and groups including People before Profit, Sinn Fein, Socialist Worker’s Party, Eirigi, Direct Democracy Ireland, National Citizen’s Movement and Loch Garman Against Austerity.
Sinn Fein, however, were not represented at this particular protest.
County councillor Anthony Kelly explained that while his party supported any group or individual who chose to protest on the issue, the decision had been taken locally by party members to abstain from this particular event.
“While we feel that every opportunity must be taken to protest, we took a stance on this and chose to abstain, because the Wexford Business Expo is about promoting Wexford and attracting investment…that of course brings about the possibility of creating jobs, which is at the root of Sinn Fein’s objectives,” said Cllr Kelly.
The councillor for the Wexford District Council added that he “did not want to reflect negatively on the event”, but the party would be participating in the other protests and demonstrations.
“We were all at the protest on November 1st and I felt that that day embraced people power and showed this government that the public are eager to voice their concerns on the subject of water charges.”
Volunteers with the Right2Water campaign collected signatures on a petition and handed out information leaflets on Friday last.
The next organised demonstration will take place on Saturday, November 22nd, at 2p.m.
Protesters will assemble at Redmond and march along the Main Street before arriving at the quay front where a public destroying of the Irish Water registration packs will be carried out.