Alliance throws down gauntlet to other parties on tap tax election pledge

3.50.21pm GMT Wed 3rd Jan 2007

Strangford Alliance MLA, Kieran McCarthy

Alliance Party Assembly Member Kieran McCarthy has today challenged other parties to make an election pledge to repeal water charges legislation immediately when the next Executive is formed. He has thrown down the gauntlet to the other parties following his demand in the Assembly on 18 December that tap tax be scrapped as soon as devolution returns to Northern Ireland.

Strangford MLA, Kieran McCarthy said: "In the Assembly in December, I challenged the other parties to repeal water charges as soon as an Executive is formed.

"I now want to throw down the gauntlet to the other parties to make scrapping tap tax one of their election pledges. All parties must make it clear that this will be the first priority of the next Executive.

"We will scrap tap tax but I am unsure as to whether other parties will have the courage to make this pledge and follow it through.

"Tap tax is inherently unfair as it will hit older people and those on low incomes very hard. It is a blunt instrument which is being forced on us by direct rule dictators and it must be binned at the first possible opportunity by the next Executive.

"Its because of the amount of cash wasted on segregation that local infrastructure needs so much investment. Our water and sewage network has been neglected for decades as billions were pumped into providing segregated services in Northern Ireland."

ENDS