Meter protester vows to continue

A DUBLIN 15 van driver who has refused access to workers trying to install a water meter outside his house for almost two months has vowed to continue his one-man protest.

Alain Ã? Donaile (49) from Lohunda in Clonsilla has had over a dozen separate meetings with officials trying to install a meter and his is the only house in the estate without one.

The saga started in early December when he received his first three-day notice that installation work was about to begin.

“When they arrived on my road I asked to see the site foreman and told him not to put a meter outside my house,

? Ã? Donaile told Northside People.

“He then brought some Irish Water officials up to me and from then I’ve had about 12 different meetings with them in terms of me objecting to the water meter.

?

The former construction worker has deployed several tactics to frustrate efforts to install the meter and remains determined to stand his ground.

“I gave them a list of documents that I wanted such as health and safety certs and licences from the council but they haven’t supplied them,

? he said.

“I also told them they were blocking access from my private property out onto the main highway. You can’t do that without permission except in times of real emergencies.

“I know from my experience in the construction industry that if you’re conducting any major works with heavy duty machinery you’ve got to supply a lot of paperwork to anybody in the vicinity of that work who insists on it.

“If you’re working next door to somebody’s house they’re entitled to ask if you’re competent, capable and insured to carry out the work in case you cause underlying damage to their building.

?

However, Ã? Donaile admits his main objection to the installation is because he’s against water charges on principle and he told officials last Tuesday that there was no point in any further discussions.

“I told them I was going to call a halt to all negotiations because we’re going around in circles,

? he said.

“I’ve also asked them not to send any more notices to my property.

“They’re causing me an awful lot of hassle but I’m very, very determined.

“Somebody asked me in what case do I see a water meter being put in and the answer is only if they use physical force. That’s as much as I can say.

?

The father-of-three says he’s protesting on behalf of his family and just wants to make a

“principled, courteous and respectful

? stand against water charges.

“I don’t want a mass mobilisation protest outside my house,

? he continued.

“There’s too many loo-lahs out there who would have their own agenda.

“My fundamental principal is that people are paying enough.

“What really riled me was that the Government say it costs e1.2 billion to supply clean water to households across the country and e1 billion of that comes from Government central funds.

“They say this model of funding is no longer sustainable and I can understand why because they gave billions and billions of our money away to the bankers and God knows who.

“As far as I can see somebody took a large truckload of money out of this country given to them by the Government and now the Government have no money left to provide basic services and they’re asking me to supplement it. I’m refusing point blank.

?

Ã? Donaile says he’s no idea how his protest will end but according to Irish Water it’s likely he’ll still receive a bill even if there’s no meter to monitor usage.

“Irish Water meters are being installed on public property, however those not in receipt of a meter will pay an assessed charge,

? a spokesperson said.

“Irish Water is committed to keeping disruption to the public to a minimum and to ensuring that safe pedestrian access to and from people’s homes is kept while work is being carried out.

?

Irish Water has installed over 100,000 meters to date and says its meter rollout programme is on target.