Only a quarter of homes register to pay house tax

Government plans to track down homeowners failing to pay the household charge have still not been submitted to the Data Commissioner.

Meanwhile, there was a warning that a failure to collect the funds could result in tax increases for workers, junior finance minister Brian Hayes told RTÉ last night.

Proposals to reign in likely defaulters appeared in disarray last night after elected council members called on local authority workers to refuse orders to go door-to-door and pressurise people to pay.