SIPTU members will rally outside the Dáil on Thursday, 21st March, at 10.30 a.m. to protest against EU policies which promote the privatisation of water resources. The rally is part of a EU wide campaign by the European Federation of Public Service Unions, which represents eight million public service workers, focused on highlighting its concern at the liberalisation of EU laws governing the ownership of water resources.SIPTU Local Authority Chairperson, Matt Henry, said: “With the decision of the Irish Government to establish Irish Water and transfer water assets out of local democratic ownership we have every reason to be concerned. The concern in relation to who owns and controls water is the same across Europe and internationally. Major international companies are lining up to pressurise politicians to open up publicly owned water for private ownership.”The SIPTU National Water Services Committee, which is organising the rally, represents over 3000 workers in Local Authorities employed in water services. Following the rally SIPTU members will meet with political parties and groups to outline their concerns.The rally will feature over 100 workers from every Local Authority in the country displaying placards stating ‘Hands Off Public Water’, a large tap prop will also be on display to highlight the threat to water supplies from privatisation.SIPTU is also supporting a campaign to raise one million signatures as part of a European Citizens Initiative to bring pressure to bear on the EU Commission to reverse its intention to conclude a ‘Concessions Directive’ which would have the effect of promoting the privatisation of water services across Europe.SIPTU Local Authority Sector Organiser, Michael Wall, said: “The move towards privatisation has been going on for some time with increased involvement of Public Private Partnerships, costing massive amounts of public monies. The decision to move away from the municipal control of water is a scandal and the beginning of a move to see water as a commodity rather than a common good.”