Protests against property tax to continue ahead of deadline

A series of car cavalcades and rallies are taking place in Dublin and around the country this weekend in protest against the property tax.

It comes just a few days ahead of next Tuesday's deadline to pay the charge.

Revenue officials say over 1.1 million homeowners have filed their returns, and that anyone still wishing to do so can log on to www.revenue.ie.

However, the Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes is warning the government that it will pay the price if it tries to coerce people to cough up.

Campaign spokesperson, Councillor Ruth Coppinger, said that people will not vote for politicians who force the property tax down their throats.

"We will be pressuring the politicians that if they deduct this forcibly from non-payers that they will pay the price in political terms," she said.

"It is similar really to what was done in Cyprus where ordinary peoples bank accounts were being pilfered to pay for the bailout and I think the same attitude will prevail in this country

"So the parties of austerity and labour will be made to pay the price for the property tax and austerity."