Varadkar: Lessons have been learned from household charge campaign

Tranport Minister Leo Varadkar said the Government has learned a lot from the campaign on the household charge.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said the Government has learned a lot from the campaign on the household charge.

Minister Varadkar has admitted that a compliance rate of up to 90% will not be hit by the end of the week, and it could be the end of the year before that target is reached.

Around 25% of households liable for the €100 levy have registered ahead of the March 31 deadline.

Minister Varadkar said lessons will be learned.

"I think we have learned that we are going to have to give people a fair bit of time to pay next year," he said.

"We are going to need to do a very detailed information campaign, really explaining to people how the tax works and where it goes, and why they should paid it.

"In addition to that we are going to have to make the property tax, when it comes in next year, a lot easier to pay."

Meanwhile, the government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe has said it is "not helpful" to have individual ministers commenting on the situation regarding the household charge.

A number of members of the Government have voiced opinions in recent days, and Paul Kehoe said that while everyone is entitled to their opinion, he acknowledged it is not ideal.

Junior Ministers Lucinda Creighton and Brian Hayes yesterday admitted to the Government having made mistakes in relation to the imposition of the charge.