Residents mount protest to prevent installation of water meters

Water protests across the city stepped up a notch this week as Irish Water staff descended on estates to begin installing meters but were thwarted by defiant residents in two locations.

The biggest picket took place in Corrib Park, where at one point over 30 householders lined the entrance to prevent the installation of the water meters.

The residents blocked two Irish Water vans from entering estate at 7.30am on Wednesday morning and gardaí were called.

According to the campaign group coordinating the protests, Right2Water, talks took place with residents and it was agreed that contractors would be allowed in at 10am to refill works that had commenced the day before but that meters would not be installed.

Contractors were then escorted in and out of the estate to carry out the repair work for safety reasons, said a campaign spokeswoman.

A spokesman for Galway Gardaí said they responded to calls about an obstruction in Corrib Park and found a peaceful protest in place.

“A number of people were in attendance and were conducting a peaceful protest and were complying with any directions given by the gardaí. It is a criminal offence under the Public Order Act to block a roadway or pathway. We are paying passing attention to the situation and monitoring it,” he stated.

For more on this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune