P wurple. The info.on who paid kept in Dublin for the local county and city councils to cross reference with.

and if you count up those who did not vote for FG in the General Election you will see it is a majority of the people, PR was introduced for the benefit of the Political class, not for the sake of Democracy

Ohhhhkayyyyy….

Yes all hush hush – the only mention of it was in the Business post of all places a week ago. http://www.businesspost.ie/#!story/Home/News/Household+charge+office+on+fire/id/19410615-5218-4fed-9385-e1e2a3706442 Someone said it would take 20 years to get 450,000 households through the court system. Politicians dealing with square pegs and round holes again.

Yes and it would cost the court and the state a hell of a lot of money to charge all those people through the courts. It’s not that I agree or disagree with the charge but the simple fact is a majority of people elected this current government. That has to be respected (along with the decisions they make) for their term of office. People are breaking the law and should be charged a lot of interest for their refusal to pay the charge. If a different party is elected and they introduce legislation to increase the higher rate of tax for example, could I refuse to pay it because I might not agree with it? The answer is no.

Eilish, the letter is from the cork city council… So not sure what you are on about.

If you read Dairmaid Ferriters transition of Ireland, you may understand the relationship a citizen of this country has had with it’s landlords and land owners. Hence there is an understandable and very deep reluctance to see the ‘State’ acting upon and becoming the ultimate landlord once again. Not least to recognise that the whole household charge is in direct response to the more hanus actions of the state in paying billions to private speculators. This charge is ill-conceieved and ill timed. I have lived in other countries and been charged ‘rates’ but have availed of services, any of which I had no use for. But this is a smash and grab raid on the pockets of those who have paid a high price already – and what is more hanus is the government and Phil Hogan know it!

I’m fully aware of Irish people’s affiliation and history associated with land ownership. This has nothing to do with that. I myself bout a house at the height of the boom and is now worth less than half of its value. I’m lucky enough to still have a job but with pay cuts etc over last few years mortgage is now over 50% of my income. That is life. It was my decision to purchase when I did and I have to deal with the consequences. Yes the government made (numerous) mistakes during the Celtic Tiger but so did the people of Ireland. We need to take responsibility for our actions. The government has made a commitment to fulfill the debt, both sovereign and bond holders. Therefore it needs to generate income. Even the majority of social welfare recipients would be able to pay this charge. If people don’t agree with this decision then change it in the next election. Strike action or any action similar to this will not benefit this evening.

And there in lays the problem; you wouldn’t have a vote if it wasn’t for those striking out against a considered injustice – that kind of backbone has brought us thus far. And whilst everyone is taking responsibility for there actions, and enduring their ‘private sufferance’ – the government clearly isn’t taking responsibility, is clearly roll-in over to the dictats of other institutions; and isn’t even living up to promises it made to the electorate – pathetic really.

A general election will be in a couple of years, voice your concerns then. Your expecting a government who when elected, faced one of the largest problems a government ever faced, to have completed their plans for government in less than half of their time they have been elected for? The gap between our income and expenditure year on year is decreasing, we are ahead of our expected tax take for the current year, unemployment is steadying although it still needs to be addressed, exports are increasing, the number of TDs will be cut. We are in a hell of a lot better a position than Spain or Greece, despite the gravity of the situation we faced and still face. The measures are working but it will take a lot more time than the current government have been in power.

I will vote; and when considering what was offered by FG/Lab, we will see what kind of ‘promises they will make then to secure a vote’ Completing a promise made to disabled girl regarding care allowances would be a start ! The problem here is one of choices made in continuing the devistating scenario adopted by the last shower. Even before being elected all parties had visibility of the books. Nevertheless certain figures you comment on are incorrect and miss-leading. The hardline unemployment figure of 320k is rising, the last figure announced for the live register is up 19k, and we have still 3k people leaving these shores each month. A ‘shaving’ of a percent increase in exports will not help all that much and considering I closed my export business down, shows how keen the banking sector is to support such indigenous activity. We are ahead of the tax take this year, because we’ve just had increases in the budget. So we have to endure another 4 years inept messin

I’ll say it again…. I will NEVER pay. I pay enough in other taxes and charges already. If we give in to this one, we’ll be paying a thousand each in under five years… The government sees this as the cash cow that’ll pay off the German and French unsecured speculators that we were indentured to by the last ship of fools.

You sound like an on the run person hiding from the Authorities. Having said that I can safely say that that description is perfectly appropriate. You want others to pay your tax and just like the rest of your Gang you want other citizens of the Eurozone to pay your debts. Interesting to look at fellow citizens in that way but we have always had it. The tradesman who always wanted to be paid in cash and still does. The hundreds of thousands who held bogus non resident bank accounts to avoid DIRT tax and all of these guys and girls were at the lower levels of incomes earned . They were average Joes and Joan’s just like we have now with probably the exact same people not paying the Household Charge a legitimate tax imposed by the State. The liars and cheats are still alive and well in good old Christian Ireland.

@ Mark

You sound like a shill for the establishment.

Mark,
i’m sure under the radar can answer for themselves but as a non payer of the unjust charge I would like to say I have no issue paying my debts.
I do however have an issue with paying debts that are not mine, as in those foisted upon me and mine by the previous Government and being honoured be the current Government despite promises to the contrary.
Can you provide some evidence that those who held bogus non resident bank accounts were average Joes and Joans?
I am neither a liar nor a cheat and make no apology to you or anyone else for standing up for myself and my family against an unjust charge designed to help bail out those who wrecked this Country.
Finally if Under the radar is on the run as you say, there are plenty of safehouses out there despite Gov claims to the contrary.

Mark the example is set from the top and what a great example has been set..Watching Bertie P Flynn L Lawlor C Haughey Lowry Burke and even the Great Garreth Fitzgerald having a million pound debt rite off on taking office.. They have creamed the system since i can remember im sure there’s more but im in my mid 30′s so that’s all i can recall from watching “little” excerpts in the mighty RTE news..Ireland is a country of double standards just be gratefull there is someone high up protecting yours..because i see no one trying to protect mine..so drop the self righteousness the people that had little to loose only their thirst for greed ruined this country and the foundation stones which is the people have to prop up another one of their greedy taxes the boat has left the shore on this on..other than scarring people half to death this tax is an unjust tax and people have their right to be Right on this issue..

Mark the ham? Mark the sausage.

Sorry Mark. Was at work all day and didn’t check Journal. Glad to see there’s so many from “the rest of my gang” willing to stand in for me. That’s the beauty of solidarity Mark. These are the people I’m willing to stand beside. Thanks guys ;)

Your mother should was your mouth out with astringent soap and water

A resigning issue for Phil I’d have thought. What an fool.

lol Good on ya! These morons make it too easy for us!!!

Just another thought. Did FG/Lab mention anything about household or water charges in their pre election promises or prospectus?And if so I wonder would the same folks vote for them?

Labour said they were against water charges in their manifesto. Pigs.

Mark or whatever …..it will catch up on you and perhaps when your credit rating is damaged as a defaulter you will wonder why you didn’t pay . I love the idea of the ordinary man in the street having the belief that he can accept or reject certain taxes because he considers them unfair. Take this a little further and express this as a year end Government Report. Income tax down thirty per cent. Excise duty down forty per cent. VAT down fifty per cent. A spokesperson said the Government will do everything possible to convince people that they should pay next year. Mark the foregoing illustrates your intellectual bankruptcy and a gaping moral hole in your thinking. It also declares your willingness to live off others while breaking the law. Clearly you cannot be a very nice person.

Unfortunately this is true. the household tax will go up and up and up and up as the years go by. that is the reason nobody should pay.

You seriously think that 100 yoyos is going to services. Wait till they rip up the Croke Park agreement and all those guards and fire fighters will be on strike. So there may no services in the midst of strikes.

You small minded man, a strike is different to any of this shit, If people paid the tax to pay these people’s wages there wouldn’t be a strike, the govt doesn’t have money to pay them I for one have paid the charge just to keep my area safe and serviced, I hope u don’t need the service of one of these under paid hero’s in the near future. Good man go buy a curry and a few beers tonight and enjoy yourself, one night in would fund the services you need

they cant do any of that because as this article proves they don’t even know what houses have paid yet never mind who owns the houses…

Well said

Too many roids dude, and please define ownership for us.