MAYO Fianna Fail TDs were heckled by angry farmers at a rural water rally in Castlebar yesterday, marking a deepening frustration in the county over water and television issues.
Shouts of "Bluffer" and "Get down, you amadan" greeted Mr Tom Moffat, Mr Seamus Hughes and Mr P.J. Morley as they voiced strong support for the demands of rural water campaigners. As Mr Morley spoke, one elderly farmer shouted out: "You've been asleep for 40 years. It's time to wake up."
No Government politicians attended the rally, which was also addressed by farming representatives, independent councillors and water campaigners. There were jeers when the name of the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr Enda Kenny, was mentioned.
A spokesman for the Mayo Federation of Group Water Schemes, Dr Jerry Cowley, said the heckling showed the depth of feeling in rural areas over the water charges issue.
"I think people are pretty disillusioned," he said. "Down the years there has been a general neglect of rural Ireland. To use a rural expression, we're put on the hind tit all the time.
"There is a feeling of disappointment with successive governments. People see that promises made in opposition are often not carried out, and there is a general feeling of disappointment in the political system," he said.
Mr Cowley confirmed that rural water campaigners in Mayo had decided in principle to run a candidate in the election. A final decision on whether to pit up candidates in six constituencies will be made at a national meeting next month, but private polls indicated "very strong support".
The decision to run a candidate was taken at meetings in east and south Mayo during the week, and ratified "unanimously" at a meeting of the county federation. "We will hold a convention in the near future to select a candidate."
The meetings also passed motions expressing "100 per cent support" for television deflector campaigners. No formal pact has yet been agreed between the two pressure groups, but spokesmen for the groups have been edging closer to a common platform.
With about 40,000 people connected to group water schemes in Mayo, including thousands who are also served by the deflector operators, a decision to run a combined candidate would pose a formidable threat to the political establishment in the constituency
At least one sitting TD in the county is already destined to lose his seat, as two previous three seater constituencies have been amalgamated into one five seater.
The secretary of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, Mr Gearoid de Faoite, renewed his attack on the Government's decision to abolish water charges in urban areas while leaving them intact in some rural areas.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, had been badly advised by advisers paid out of the public purse, he said. "They should be sacked immediately," he told the rally. "It's hard to believe Minister Howlin was a former Minister for Health, when he didn't see the health implications of his decision to abolish the charges in urban areas," he said.
Group water schemes in rural areas had been badly affected by the decision to abolish the urban charges. Subscribers to the group schemes had stopped paying their, charges in protest at the inequity, and many group schemes faced financial ruin as a result.
"What will happen when people start getting ill, as the funds group water schemes have collected run out and nobody can have disinfection done," he asked.