Fianna Fáil has claimed the Government is considering legislation which will mean those facing a penalty for non-payment of the Non-Principal Private Residence charge will not get an amnesty after 12 years as expected.

Tens of thousands of households who still have not paid the so-called second-home tax have been warned "there is no escape".

In April 2009, the door to a permanent tax on domestic property was opened with the introduction of the €200 annual charge on Non-Principal Private Residences.

Have we now become a State that feeds on the many for the benefit of the few?

IF public sympathy has been in scarce supply for the owners of ‘second homes’ or or "Non-Principal Private Residence" to use the convoluted language of bureaucracy, it is growing as it becomes increasingly clear that much of the blame for this mess lies squarely at the door of the Department of the Environment.

Some 27% of owners of second homes have yet to pay the NPPR charge - despite the passing of the payment deadline.

BUDGET 2013 has continued on a similar path as Budget 2012 with the introduction of further incentives for the SME and agri-food and farm sectors.

The highest household charge compliance rate is in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

This week, I turn to one of my other interests — economics — and I suggest that we have a lot to learn in this area from the French.

The Non-Principal Private Residence charge, also known as the second home charge, is due to be paid by Jun 30.

QUESTION: I have an outside farm on which there is a house. The house hasn’t been lived in for more than 15 years.Am I required to pay the household charge on this house?

I was impressed by Angela Morris (Letters, March 3) on the basis that the household charge is unconstitutional, being in breach of the principles of social justice.

ALMOST 6,000 home-owners have rushed to pay the controversial household charge, despite claims from those opposed to it that as many as half of all people liable will refuse to pay up.

OWNERS of second homes will be charged €10 extra for paying the Government charge on these properties over-the-counter, rather than online.

Timing is of vital importance, no matter what business you’re in. For those of you who are in the property letting business or in the business of looking for a place to let, these times are positive ones for you.

ALMOST 1,000 people own between 12 and 21 non-primary properties according to the agency which, by yesterday’s deadline, had netted almost €47 million through the €200 property tax on second homes.

COUNCILS have been given a boost of more than €17 million above what was expected from the second home tax introduced last year – and the taxman could also be in for increased coffers.

MORE than 10,000 owners of non-principal private residences paid the new €200 charge on their properties in the last hours before the deadline on payment which falls today.