Campaign begins against €100 household charge

A PUBLIC meeting aimed at building a campaign against the Government’s proposed €100 household charge will be held on the northside of Cork tonight.

Organised by the Campaign Against Household and Water Charges, which includes the United Left Alliance, the meetings are aimed at building “a nationwide mobilisation of people against the new charges”.

The group is encouraging people to boycott the charge, which is due to begin next year. It is believed that a nationwide membership campaign will be initiated and car stickers printed to support the cause.

Dozens of similar meetings have been held in Dublin and on the southside of Cork as well as in East Cork. Up to 200 people have attended the five Cork meetings to date.

Socialist party TD Mick Barry has said the campaign is “fully aware” that “it needs to develop a much wider spread of people beyond the ULA base, if it is to succeed”.

“While left-wing activists may play a central role in the campaign, it needs to become the property of ordinary people. In the New Year, we are planning to have a national conference where were are hoping to see people from every section of society, including community organisations and trade unions,” he said.

Mr Barry has long warned that while the charge is being introduced at €100, it will quickly rise.

The campaign organisers are hoping to repeat the success of Dublin West TD Joe Higgins, whose early 1990s campaign against water charges in Dublin led to their abolition.

Any homeowners refusing to pay the planned annual household charge will not be able to dispose of their property until they stump up whatever they owe.

If they die owing the charge, it will have to be paid by whomever inherits the property, according to the Department of the Environment.

A facility will also be established whereby householders can pay the charge in instalments of €25 every three months rather than as a once-off annual charge.

The meeting will be held in St Joseph’s Community Association, Old Youghal Road (next to Mayfield Library), starting at 8.15pm, and will be addressed by members of the Campaign Against Household and Water Charges.