The anti-water charge campaign in Ireland has grown very quickly. What started as a grassroots, protest movement under Right2Water Ireland, has now grown to a national campaign, called Right2Change.
After establishing their Policy Principles for a Progressive Irish Government, Right2Change has been hosting meetings with the three pillars that comprise Right2Water Ireland – trade unions, political parties, and community organizations.
On October 16, Right2Change and Right2Water hosted a meeting with the political pillar, where they asked them three questions:
- Do you support the policy principles?
- Will you agree now to form a progressive government based on this platform if the numbers allow?
- How will you work together to deliver this objective?
While every political party and the independent representatives who were in attendance agreed with question 1, a number of the parties and individuals in attendance requested time to submit their responses to questions 2 and 3. The political parties included in this meeting were Sinn Fein, Anti-Austerity Alliance, Social Democrats, People Before Profit Alliance, Workers Party, Communist Party, United Left, Direct Democracy Ireland, and a range of Independent representatives. Those in attendance have until today to decide if they want to sign-up for these policies. As answers are still rolling in, Right2Water and Right2Change are now planning a meeting with another pillar of this movement: the community pillar.
The meeting will be held on Saturday, October 31 at 2 p.m. in Dublin.
This meeting is an opportunity to inform the community groups where we are with the political pillar, in reference to the meeting we had with the political parties,” David Gibney, from Right2Change, said.
Along with updates for the community groups, this meeting also gives Right2Water, Right2Change, and the community groups a chance to discuss how they think building a government of change would be best facilitated.
Even though this meeting is on Halloween, Right2Change says, “We are urging as many activists as possible to attend.”
To find out more about this meeting, please visit the event page, here.
Change is coming!
(photo via right2change.ie)