Sinn Féin is urging the public to attend the Right2Water National Demonstration in Dublin on 29 August.

Senator David Cullinane said the government's water services policy is a "complete and utter failure".

He said: "Enda Kenny and Joan Burton seem content to drive forward with their disastrous water policy at all costs. They are happy to stumble from one crisis to the next.

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"Only recently, we saw this detached government introduce pick-pocket style legislation that will allow the government to take unpaid water charges from the wages and social protection payments of struggling families. They did this with complete disregard for the financial pressures that have been placed upon people by their austerity and cuts.

"Sinn Féin would dismantle Irish Water, keep water services in full public ownership and replace Irish Water with a public water utility. This utility would have a new model of governance, funding and delivery with full public ownership and democratic control and accountability."

(CD/MH)