Matt Carthy MEP welcomes the passing of Right2Water report in European Parliament

Speaking after the vote on the Right2Water in Strasbourg today, Sinn Féin MEP for the Midlands North West Matt Carthy, welcomed the passing of the Boylan report on the Right2Water.

Speaking from the European Parliament, Carthy said:

“I would like to commend my colleague Lynn Boylan for the Trojan work she has done in getting this report through the European Parliament.

“The Commission’s initial response to the ECI was vague, disappointing and did little to answer their demands. In this report Sinn Féin and fellow progressive MEPs have come together to produce a report which better answers their campaign.

“I am pleased that the Parliament chose to reject the alternative motion put forward by Fine Gael’s EPP group and the Tory ECR group which did nothing to answer the citizens’ concerns and ignored the need to enshrine the human right to water in legislation. It was a motion which reflected their views, not the citizens.

“We have won key amendments which called on the Commission; to produce legislative proposals which would enshrine the human right to water in EU legislation, to not promote the privatisation of water services and to ensure that water affordability issues are assessed.

“The European Parliament has now voted in favour of keeping water services out of the internal market and has called on the Commission to not promote privatisation of water and to respect Member States’ choice of water ownership.

“This is a victory for civil society and for Right2Water campaigners not only in Ireland but across Europe. The 1.8 million signatories to the Right2Water European Citizens Iniative, the first ever successful example of this mechanism have finally received the support they deserve from an EU institution.” ENDS//