Income tax hikes to pay for household levy shortfall

Workers will have to pay more tax next year if 600,000 homeowners persist with their refusal to pay the household charge, Environment Minister Phil Hogan has warned.

Mr Hogan also said anti-household charge protesters refusing to pay the levy would be directly responsible for cuts to their own local authority services.

The minister was heckled by protesters yesterday as he arrived at the MacGill summer school and was forced to enter the conference venue by the back door.