Household charge non-payers in council’s sights

THOSE who haven’t paid the household charge in Fingal can expect to hear from the council in the coming weeks.

A total of 50,997 households in Fingal have registered and paid the controversial

?¬100 charge.

Northside People has learned that Fingal County Council will now begin to

“actively encourage

? the 40,000 or so others who have failed to pay up and are, as a result, incurring late payment fees of

?¬10 and interest of

?¬3 which build up on a monthly basis.

A spokeswoman for Fingal County Council said it will now begin to appeal to householders on a local basis while contextualising what the money goes towards.

“The council has a responsibility to the majority of homeowners who have paid the charge to ensure that those who have not made payment thus far do so and make their contribution to the many local services provided by Fingal County Council for all its citizens,

? she told Northside People.

“In this respect, contact will be made in the near future with those homeowners who have not paid the charge with a view to obtaining payment.

?

The Local Government Management Services Board revealed that over e90 million has been received in Household Charge payments from residents throughout the country.

Meanwhile, Dublin North TD Clare Daly (SP) has vowed that the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes (CAHWT) is ready to meet the challenge of threatening letters and court action.

“Non payment of the household tax has remained solid since the passing of the Government deadline on March 31 with negligible registrations since that time,

? claimed Deputy Daly.

“Questions put to Minister Hogan reveal that around one tenth of 940,000 properties were multiple registrations which suggests that a decisive majority of liable individuals remain in the non-payment camp.

“The Government recognise that the beginning of the septic tank registration process next month, water meter installation in October and the drafting of the legislation for the property tax later this year will all provide a fresh impetus to the CAHWT.

“Therefore, the threat of ‘compliance letters’ to non-paying households in the coming weeks and months should be seen as a desperate measure by the Government to try to diminish the scale of non-payment in order to dampen a storm of protest.

?

Deputy Daly added: “As with the successful campaign against the water tax in the 1990s, every piece of threatening correspondence and court action will be met with a round of public meetings, mass newsletter distribution and protests, as well legal defence measures.

?