Ireland: Opposition mounts to government-imposed household charge
A deadline of March 31 is approaching for approximately 1.6 million householders across Ireland to pay a €100 charge on their property to the government. The measure is part of the austerity drive of the Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition to bail out the financial elite at the expense of working people. - Plans for the household charge were outlined in last December’s 2012 budget, which saw tax rises and spending cuts totalling €3.8 billion. The charge covers just one year, and it is widely acknowledged that the current €100 level will be increased drastically in the coming period, with the creation of a new property tax as well as the addition of water charges in 2014. The deadline for the charge could yet be extended, after a high court ruling last Wednesday gave an individual the right to challenge the legislation on the grounds that the government had not published it in Irish Gaelic. The case is due to be heard in two weeks. Coming on top of billions in cuts to public services and tax increases, there is widespread hostility towards the tax, with many simply unable to afford to make the payment.