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Water charges: Almost 100 protests across Republic of Ireland | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Campaigners opposed to the introduction of water charges in the Republic of Ireland are staging almost 100 separate protests across the state. | |
More than 20 of the demonstrations are being held in Dublin, against charges that were introduced last month. | |
The controversial austerity measure is a key part of the government's plan to pay back the international financial bailout the state had to seek in 2010. | |
Households are due to receive their first water bills in January 2015. | |
Some of the hundreds of people attending a protest in Ringsend, Dublin, told the BBC they do not believe they should pay charges for something that is already free and paid for out of general taxation. | |
Other protesters said they were opposed to the bonus culture in Irish Water - the company established last month to provide the service. | |
The Fine Gael/Labour coalition government is clearly worried about the scale of opposition. | |
Irish Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) Joan Burton has said the charges will be modest and capped. | |
It is the second time in weeks that members of the public have staged mass protests over the controversial government policy. | |
Last month, tens of thousands of people marched through Dublin to show their opposition. |