New Charge Just Another Poll Tax, Says Barrett

In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett TD has said the new household tax is reminiscent of the Poll Tax in Britain and that it would face the same opposition that Margaret Thatcher faced when she tried to introduce it.

He also said the new charge, announced by the government, will burden the majority of people in the State.

Over the last three years low and middle income workers have seen their living standards severely depressed by wage cuts and impositions such as the Universal Social Charge.

Mr Barrett said the latest tax is a direct result of the agreement with the EU/IMF and is just another example of how low and middle income earners, pensioners and the unemployed are being forced to pay the price of the gambling and speculation that has brought Ireland to its knees.

He said: “If this Household Tax were accepted, just like with the bin tax, we would see the charge increased every year and it would pave the way for water charges and a property tax on every home.”

A campaign has already been established to oppose these charges. On Saturday, 16 July a meeting of activists and members of left parties and groups, following on from some initial meetings last year, resolved to launch a national campaign of opposition to new household and water taxes as soon as they were announced by government. A final name for the campaign has not yet been decided until the government clarified its proposals.

The campaign is calling for a boycott of the charge and a mass non-payment campaign to make it unenforceable.

The Anti Household and Water Tax campaign will hold a major series of public meetings in cities and towns around the country in September to establish local groups in what will be a very active campaign.

Water charges have been defeated twice in the last 30 years - in the 80’s and again in the 90’s.

From 94 - 96 tens of thousands of householders were involved in a major non-payment campaign. Attempts by Councils to intimidate householders were met by local mobilisations, defence of householders in the courts and political action. This major campaign of people power won a measure of justice for PAYE when the water tax was abolished in December 1996.

(BMcN)