So we finally have a Government. It was a bit of a slog but we got there in the end.
The expression ‘new politics’ is being bandied about a lot, even though I don’t really know what that means. But one thing is for certain: there are some interesting times ahead, with Independents like Shane Ross and Finian McGrath now pulling up a chair at the Cabinet table and Fianna Fáil committed to providing constructive opposition.
In what is very much an Irish solution to an Irish problem, the issue of water charges has been kicked down the road. Like an estranged relative who has shamed the family, Irish Water will be whispered about in hushed tones by our politicians and I suspect we’ll have less of the macho bluster that characterised the last administration.
But it’s a funny old country we live in. Just hours after Enda Kenny began his second term as Taoiseach, another bill from Irish Water plopped in through my letterbox, joining the sorry pile of unopened letters from the utility on my hall table.
As I explained in a column earlier this year, I fell into the ‘wait and see’ category of those who hadn’t paid. There was no way I was coughing up my hard earned cash until the outcome of the general election was known.
Now I don’t have to pay. Or do I? I’m still not sure.
I can’t claim any credit for the ‘suspension’ of the water charges. I wasn’t out on the streets protesting or blocking the installation of water meters on my road. I was simply waiting to see which way the wind would blow.
But it’s not all good news. There are fears that a sewage scheme planned for my area could be shelved now that a major source of funding for Irish Water is in doubt. In the meantime, untreated sewage will continue to pollute our local beaches.
The question remains: who is going to pay for this vital project in the absence of charges? Many householders certainly feel they shouldn’t have to.
With controversial water charges now parked, I wish the new Government well in dealing with the many challenging issues facing the country, such as health, crime and housing. Because like it or not, it’s the only show in town.
t.mccullagh@dublinpeople.com