Campaign Against Household Tax and Water Charges

national | bin tax / household tax / water tax | opinion/analysis Tuesday December 20, 2011 19:08 by Pól Ó Cionsalígh paulbkinsella at gmail dot com An Chúlóg, Báile Átha Cliath 17 0851478100

The response to the legislation on household tax has been very encouraging. A poll taken on Sunday by Newstalk after the launch of the campaign opposing the tax, showed over 70% indicated opposition and a determination not to pay. This is a great start to what will be one of the dominant campaigns in 2012.  There will be a consistent and vicious propaganda campaign by the establishment which has already begun. There will be intimidation and pressure on people who can face massive fines if they refuse to register for this charge before the end of March.

The numbers of TD’s indicating that they will not pay is growing. Many of them are also saying that will not encourage others to break the law. But as Eamon Dunphy (the latest declared non-payer) said on RTE on Monday morning, once upon a time slavery was legal – laws are there to be challenged and changed if they are unjust. And this legislation certainly is. There will be a consistent and vicious propaganda campaign by the establishment which has already begun. There will be intimidation and pressure on people who can face massive fines if they refuse to register for this charge before end of March. Despite several proposed amendments by ULA TD’s this law was passed without allowing for the levels of poverty among house owners, i.e. the over 450,000 unemployed, the disabled, pensioners, tens of thousands in negative equity and tens of thousands in substandard and dangerous Celtic Tiger dwellings. The Government’s stated intention is to raise 160 million euro next year from this tax and by 2014 1.6 billion euro. Phil Hogan indicated this when he proposed the legislation earlier in the year and therefore the property tax is set to increase dramatically over the next few years. Now is the time to resist it.