29% currently registered to pay household charge

The Local Government Management Agency has this evening reported that just 29% of householders have registered to pay the €100 household charge.

As of 6 o'clock this evening the agency said that 467,357 - out of the estimated 1.6 million householders - have registered to pay the controversial tax.

The deadline for payment is this Saturday, March 31st.

Earlier, Environment Minister Phil Hogan insisted he was happy with the figures and that he believed people would pay at the last minute.

However, Socialist TD Joe Higgins, who is against the tax, said that the figures show a mass boycott of the charge:

"This is the first time in the history of this state that such a mass movement of this kind has been crystallised in this way, it is people power", he said

"…they're saying also we're fed up with austerity which is wrecking our society, our services, we're having no more".