7:30 p.m and many feet and many voices began filling the spacious banquet hall, thirty minutes before the meetings scheduled start time. Organised by CAHWT (Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes) it was soon apparent that the public had decided to show their displeasure at these new austerity measures in their droves, as more than double the 400 that had attended a Carlow event Monday evening, left their homes and descended on Waterford's Tower Hotel.
Speakers at the Event included TD John Halligan (Independent), Brid Smith (Socialist Worker's Party) and Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) who urged people to "take the message to every corner of Waterford." Passion in this room is more usually reserved for wedding receptions but it seems the marriage of job losses in the region to the advent of Household, Septic Tank, and Water Charges made for a reception many wanted to attend.
CAHWT speakers, Tower Hotel, Waterford City, large turnout over 800 in attendance
Two and a half hours of well delivered speeches, information and well mannered, though emotional, voices raising public concerns followed as we were reminded that Waterford has a great history of opposing bad laws, and that people of the Deise should show their disdain through building mass non-registration by St Patrick's Day.
"When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes a duty......" said one guest to rapturous applause,
A small though vocal contingent had travelled from Dungarvan including Gerry O'Mahony (Independent) and a CAHWT meeting for the 21 February in the town was discussed yet further details were not available at this time.
The "honeymoon" period for these charges, may yet be over before it's begun......
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