Thousands rally against €100 tax

Opponents of the household charge have vowed to keep up pressure on the Government to withdraw it, after several thousand people turned out to support the campaign at the weekend.

Demonstrations against the controversial €100 charge were staged at 40 different locations around the country on Saturday.

The Campaign Against Household and Water Tax group, which organised the various protests, said the large turnout reflected the growing momentum of opposition to the charge.

Campaign spokesperson Tommy Hogan said the mood was changing in the country against ongoing austerity measures.

Thousands took part in over a dozen protests staged in various parts of Dublin, while an estimated crowd of about 500 attended the protest in Cork. About 350 marched in Waterford while 200 took part in a demonstration in Limerick.

Other protests were held in Ennis, Newbridge, Kilkenny, Mullingar, Carlow, Mallow and Monaghan while one of the biggest demonstrations took place in Wexford where about 1,000 people turned out.

Official information leaflets about the household charge were symbolically binned at a number of the demonstrations.

Latest figures show just over €10m has been collected from the charge to date. However, the Government has estimated the tax should raise €160m.

The country’s 1.6m householders have until Mar 31 to pay the €100 fee or face increased penalties.

“We call on people to get involved in this growing movement against unjust taxation. The dogs in the street know this tax is not for services but is another donation to bondholders,” said Mr Hogan.

He claimed the Government would have to rethink the introduction of the charge if 1m households were still unregistered by Mar 17.

A spokesperson for the Department of the Environment said anyone encouraging people not to pay the charge was acting irresponsibly.