In recent months, however, the Irish have been anything but quiet. The prospect of paying for water, which many see as yet another new tax at a time when the government has assured them that austerity is over, has prompted a series of mass protests across the country, from Dublin to Cork. Many demonstrators say they have no intention of paying the new fees.

About a third of the country’s households have simply refused to register with the newly created state authority that is to run the country’s water service, though the deadline for doing so has now been extended three times. In some neighborhoods, workers trying to install meters have been met with angry mobs and forced to flee.

The pushback has been so strong that the government has already lowered its sights somewhat, setting a cap on the water charges, at least for now, and adding a sweetener — 100 euros, equal to about $110, for households that register.

Still, some experts say that the protests are far from over, reflecting growing fatigue with austerity policies that have taken a toll on most families, even as the economy has recovered to the point that it is the fastest-growing in Europe.