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Ulster counties lead table of household charge boycotts

Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan are among the counties with the lowest payment levels so far. Where does yours rank?

30/04/12 3,898 Views 42 Comments
2,000 people attend an anti-Household Charge rally at the National Stadium last month.
2,000 people attend an anti-Household Charge rally at the National Stadium last month.
Image: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

HOUSEHOLDS IN ULSTER have shown the lowest level of payments for the €100 Household Charge, new figures have revealed.

Data released by Phil Hogan show that Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal are among the four counties who had the lowest payment rate for the charge as of last week.

The data, which records the number of homes which had paid the €100 fee by last Tuesday (though not those which had registered for a waiver), showed that only 28.7 per cent of the eligible homes had paid the charge.

While the government estimated that a total of 111,118 homes in Ireland were liable for the fee, which is intended as a precursor to property taxes and water charges later this decade, only 31,876 had actually paid so far.

Donegal had the lowest payment rate as of last Tuesday, with only 17,408 of its 65,331 eligible houses – 26.65 per cent – having paid.

By comparison, households in the four Dublin council areas were the most likely to pay up: 53.1 per cent of the 437,183 eligible homes, or 232,167, had paid the charge by last Tuesday.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the highest level of compliance, with almost exactly two-thirds of the 74,390 homes having paid up, while 52 per cent of homes in the Dublin City Council area, and 49.9 per cent of homes in Fingal, had paid.

Overall, 42.3 per cent of eligible homes had registered and paid for the charge by last Tuesday – with 685,442 homes having paid, out of a government estimate of 1,620,814 eligible homes.

As the Irish Daily Mail observed this morning, payment levels in environment minister Phil Hogan’s own constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny stand below the national average: only 38.1 per cent of the 50,324 homes in those counties have paid.

After Donegal, Monaghan had the lowest payment rate at 28.1 per cent, followed by Offaly (32.2 per cent), Cavan (34.4 per cent), Louth (34.5 per cent) and Westmeath (34.6 per cent).

After Dún Laoghaire, Dublin and Fingal, Galway city (49.1), Wicklow (46.9), South Dublin (46.9) and Kildare (45.1) had the highest level of compliance.

On a province-by-province level, Connacht had the highest proportion of houses paying the charge, with 39.6 per cent; Munster had a payment rate of 39.3 per cent, while Leinster (excluding Dublin) had payment rates of 39.1 per cent.

The data was published by Hogan in response to a parliamentary question from Fine Gael backbencher Michael Creed.

The figures from last week do not include payments which had been received but not yet processed; they do include houses which had paid after the March 31 deadline and which therefore had incurred penalties for late payment.

County by county: payment of the household charge

  • Carlow: 6,485 of 18,257 (35.5%)
  • Cavan: 8,808 of 25,611 (34.4%)
  • Clare: 17,819 of 45,786 (38.9%)
  • Cork City: 17,565 of 41,649 (42.2%)
  • Cork County: 56,621 of 143,887 (39.4%)
  • Donegal: 17,408 of 65,331 (26.6%)
  • Dublin City: 99,179 of 190,685 (52.0%)
  • Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: 49,572 of 74,390 (66.6%)
  • Fingal: 45,046 of 90,286 (49.9%)
  • Galway City: 13,313 of 27,086 (49.2%)
  • Galway County: 23,739 of 62,851 (37.8%)
  • Kerry: 22,780 of 58,792 (38.7%)
  • Kildare: 30,786 of 68,215 (45.1%)
  • Kilkenny: 12,686 of 32,067 (39.6%)
  • Laois: 9,124 of 26,185 (34.8%)
  • Leitrim: 4,913 of 13,069 (37.6%)
  • Limerick City: 8,487 of 20,380 (41.6%)
  • Limerick County: 18,426 of 46,473 (39.6%)
  • Longford: 4,637 of 12,928 (35.9%)
  • Louth: 14,222 of 41,176 (34.5%)
  • Mayo: 19,997 of 51,363 (38.9%)
  • Meath: 24,090 of 60,652 (39.7%)
  • Monaghan: 5,660 of 20,176 (28.1%)
  • North Tipperary: 9,572 of 24,839 (38.5%)
  • Offaly: 8,124 of 25,224 (32.2%)
  • Roscommon: 8,280 of 23,888 (34.7%)
  • Sligo: 10,423 of 25,281 (41.2%)
  • South Dublin: 38,370 of 81,822 (46.9%)
  • South Tipperary: 11,318 of 30,368 (37.3%)
  • Waterford City: 6,166 of 15,753 (39.1%)
  • Waterford County: 9,181 of 24,777 (37.1%)
  • Westmeath: 10,341 of 29,872 (34.6%)
  • Wexford: 20,873 of 56,030 (37.3%)
  • Wicklow: 21,431 of 45,665 (46.9%)

Read: Less than a million properties registered for household charge

More: Property tax could be fairer than household charge – ESRI

About the author:

Gavan Reilly
@gavreilly
gavan@thejournal.ie

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Comments (42 Comments)

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  • fleetingwhim 30/04/12 #

    Shouldn’t the headline be ‘Government figures show it exaggerated numbers paying the household tax’???

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  • Too Trueleft 30/04/12 #

    “Overall, 42.3 per cent of eligible homes had registered and paid for the charge by last Tuesday – with 685,442 homes having paid, out of a government estimate of 1,620,814 eligible homes.”

    Wait a second, I thought that the official government line was that 50.3% of houses paid by the deadline.

    Another blatant lie??

    Reply
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    • Gavan Reilly 30/04/12 #

      As far as I recall there wasn’t an official government percentage given on the night, but it should be borne in mind that the figures above don’t include the households which had registered for the waiver. There’s a difference between those which have paid and registered.

      That said, yes, you’re right: there does seem to be a discrepancy between the figures and we’re looking into it.

      Reply
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    • Too Trueleft 30/04/12 #

      Chers Gavan, will be interesting to see if there has been another betrayal of trust so close to a referendum.

      Reply
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    • Andrew Brennan 30/04/12 #

      I wonder would it be possible to publish the unemployment figures in these areas side-by-side with the HHC compliance figures?

      Reply
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  • Cal Mooney 30/04/12 #

    I am still waiting for all the FFg/Labour guys to come on and still try to claim that over 50% of the people paid the charge … hee hee … well done to all the people who refused to be bullied into paying an unfair Tax. If we hold our ground on the referenda as well, then we have a very good chance of getting this government to rethink its bully boy tactics and start listening to us. We dont go out and riot like the Greeks, but our form of civil disobedience is so much more effective, and it makes the Government look like fools to Europe, which is what we need. It means the Troika will be a lot slower in demanding unreasonable cuts to the lower income and struggling families in our country. Let the Politicians lead from the front and immediately cut their wages to the average industrial wage so that they understand what impact their decisions are having on the average person in the country. At least that way, they will make informed decisions and stop trying to protect those who have the most.

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  • 1 Human Being 30/04/12 #

    So only 685442 people have paid so it’s still under a million that haven’t paid. They shouldn’t register or pay this disgraceful charge. Shame on the government to try and pin the last four years of bullshit and bailouts on the Irish people.

    Reply
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  • Norman Hunter 30/04/12 #

    Thought over half have paid,the government telling lies,impossible they’d never do that,would they?Next we’ll be told their’re being economical with the truth about the “austerity treaty”.

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  • Sean O'Keeffe 30/04/12 #

    “Surely the state of Ireland ought for ever to teach parties moderation in their victories. People crushed by law have no hopes but for power. If laws are their enemies, they will be enemies to laws; and those who have much hope and nothing to lose will always be dangerous more or less”
    Edmund Burke

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  • Paul Jacob 30/04/12 #

    I notice the article is giving the wrong figures required to pay and register, its 1.7 million they need to pay and 1.8 million they need to register.

    Reply
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  • Blain M 30/04/12 #

    Ulster says NO!

    Reply
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  • bejebus 30/04/12 #

    I know what you’re saying, Bart. When I was young, I wanted an electric football machine more than anything else in the world, and my parents bought it for me, and it was the happiest day of my life. Well, goodnight. –Homer Simpson

    Reply
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  • bejebus 30/04/12 #

    Baaaaaaa!,,

    Reply
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  • Chris Gardiner Bewildered 30/04/12 #

    well people in the North are tougher i think because of the troubles and have no problem saying no. Unlike half the sheep in the south who said yes.

    Reply
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    • Ian Walsh 30/04/12 #

      In the North??? The last time I checked Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal are in the Republic (Or South) of Ireland.

      Reply
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    • Ann Reddin 30/04/12 #

      I would imagine the reason for the high percentage of non registration in the border counties has more to do with the fact that they have feck all services as it is as opposed to them being non confomists because of the “troubles”. Why should they pay to keep the rest of us in paths and street ligthing etc when they dont have these facilities themselves. The charge is a joke. And less than 50% have registered Chris.

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    • Gary Clowry 30/04/12 #

      The people in Donegal were beneficiaries in 2009 (per person) of 4,316.81 euro of tax from the rest of the country, though mostly from the greater Dublin area. In Cavan it was 2908.33 euro per person. In Monaghan it was 3343.39 euro per person. There are similar figures every year. So let’s have local services paid for locally, and let’s see how quickly they pay their household charge and want to keep the current system.
      Further reading http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=78277405&postcount=46

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    • Norman Hunter 30/04/12 #

      Gary i have read and heard some stupid suggestions but yours is in a league of its own.How would a county with a low population fund local services any thoughts?

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    • MojoRise 30/04/12 #

      Up Monaghan….

      This is good news for the people bad for the coffers… Notice to our lying incompetent government get your own house in order before sticking stupid taxes on the people or we just won’t pay…. Thank god for CSO…. Your lies just don’t stick anymore…. One year in and your all screwed already…. Really pathetic bunch of losers in Dail Eireann…

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    • Gary Clowry 30/04/12 #

      The majority of counties in this country receive far more tax revenue than they pay in, I have no issue with that in principal. However we have many people refusing to pay a tax (household charge), many of whom are saying they cannot guarantee their local services are being paid for with the money so they won’t pay. I’m stating a simple fact if they want local services paid for locally they will pay for more tax.

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    • Mark Larson 30/04/12 #

      They are in the North of the country Ian, the province of Ulster, we still have some counties in the north part of the republic, but you know that.

      Reply
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    • Norman Hunter 30/04/12 #

      Gary again a staggeringly stupid comment.All tax in the state goes into the central fund with the exception of road tax.Then it is disbrused accordingly.

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    • Gary Clowry 30/04/12 #

      Norman. I’m well aware of the system as it stands. Again I’m pointing out if people want local services paid for with local revenue they will as a fact pay more tax. There are only a handful of counties in Ireland who wouldn’t. I’m not the one refusing to pay a tax as I want to ensure it’s funds local services. What don’t you understand here?

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    • Norman Hunter 30/04/12 #

      So all the taxes that go into the central fund what are they for if not for services?

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    • Gary Clowry 30/04/12 #

      Norman have you got some sort of comprehension problem? Our taxes are put into a central fund, I get that, it’s in the fecking constitution. The point is…Many people are refusing to pay a tax because they cannot guarantee it will pay for local services, or so they say. *They* are saying they want to make sure the money is spent locally on services, I’m not. This is pretty simple stuff… if they want to fund services locally they will be paying far more tax (most counties anyway). Sinking in?

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    • Val Dalton 30/04/12 #

      Gary you are getting caught up with the technicalities and statistics, people are not paying this because

      a: They believe the minister who tried to implement it was an arrogant pr1ck.
      b: They believe the money will really end up in pockets of German bondholders.
      c: Services are sh1t in many areas.
      d: No sign of any reforms to a wasteful system.

      Reply
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    • Gary Clowry 30/04/12 #

      I’m not sure pointing out that most parts of the country benefit from free money from other parts is what I’d call “getting caught up with the technicalities and statistics”.
      I find it very interesting that the areas where most tax revenue is collected are the areas where most people have paid their household charge. And an area like Donegal which get the largest amount of money per head over taxes collected has the lowest percentage. Speaks volumes about attitude.
      1. One third of all government spending is borrowed, will being annoying sort that?
      2. Sure they do believe that. Yet the the majority of the money we’ve borrowed was for our day to day overspending and not the banks. And no one, and I mean no one, has even proven the bond money was paid to German banks. So yes people say all sorts of stuff.
      3. Perhaps they are. People seem to think that the bubble level of taxation is sustainable now that the stamp duty money is gone. One third of all government spending is borrowed remember. So fight for better services but don’t pretend taxes are not also going up to a sustainable, as they are.
      4. There have been reforms and cuts. Though it’s interesting that I don’t seem to recall these protests when during the bubble years things were far more wasteful. Might that have anything to do with most people paying less tax and not giving a shíte? Oh and will that fix the massive borrowing we’re doing?

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    • Gary Clowry 30/04/12 #

      censored. It’s comments like yours that make me really dislike the No campaign.

      Reply
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    • censored 30/04/12 #

      Gary, you were more objective before you read my comment (ha ha ha)

      Reply
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  • Susie Chester 30/04/12 #

    All lies lies and more lies . This government does not do truth . Shame on all of them . I still won’t pay and I will be voting NO in the austerity treaty too. :)

    Reply
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  • Sasha Musgrave 01/05/12 #

    The fact that over a million haven’t paid for the household charge is a massive victory for the campaign, and think that the figures for those liable are much higher than they printed, and so I am never paying, as I don’t agree about the money going to cocaine snorting bondholders, and will vote no for the fiscal treaty, and will be distributing some leaflets for the no vote, and will encourage people to vote against the austerity treaty because that is what it is.

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  • Derek Richardson 30/04/12 #

    gavan o reilly that headline should be goverment take the people of the country to have no intelligence or why are you always massaging your headlines to make them look good

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  • Derek Richardson 30/04/12 #

    if they massaged the figures on such an important issue who ever is in charge should be made resigned and we all know who that is people, if a person told a lie in the morning in any other occupation they would be sacked with out further notice more treason on the suffering tax payer from the overlords of doom and gloom

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  • censored 30/04/12 #

    Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown seems to be heading the league table for “compliance” with 49,572 of 74,390 (66.6%)

    DLR residents seem to have plenty of money.

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  • gingerman 30/04/12 #

    Hey Cal, that’s a bit harsh, threatening to report me to the guards for expressing an opinion. Down with that sort of thing.

    Reply
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  • gingerman 30/04/12 #

    Let them become part of NI instead. Then they can pay rates.

    Reply
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  • gingerman 30/04/12 #

    Keyboard warriors of the world unite!

    Reply
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