Domestic Water Charges in Ireland - Issues and Challenges Conveyed through Social Media

Abstract

This paper analyses a Twitter dataset to explore water governance and stakeholder engagement during the introduction of domestic water charges in Ireland. The results highlight active Twitter use during the analysis period, reflective of widespread protest centred on a new utility, Irish Water. The analysis shows protest activities were dispersed and not cohesive, with tweets largely focused on economic and political issues and not on the provision of a sustainable water supply. The findings extend our understanding of these events and provide some insights into the role of social media in water governance and stakeholder engagement issues in an Irish and wider context.