THE GOVERNMENT HAS indicated that the property tax, due to replace the household charge, will be introduced next July. The property tax is just another name for a tax on people’s homes, the United Left Alliance T.D. Joan Collins told a public meeting organised by the Sligo Campaign against the Household and Water Charges in the Glasshouse Hotel this week.

“The fact that the tax is due to be introduced next July is about the only thing that is definite at this point.” said Deputy Collins, “Everything else will be announced as part of the Budget. The tax initially is likely to range from €250 to €400 a year. It will increase significantly in the following years.”

“Everywhere anger against the inequality and injustice of the present economic system is exploding. In this context the national Campaign against the Household and Water Charges has spurred new forms of struggle and every day more and more people are joining the resistance against austerity

“€25 billion has been taken out of our economy in the last 5 budgets and has devastated our country. The IMF says that every Euro taken out of the Irish economy results in an effective cut of €1.70. In this context it is clear that austerity is not working.” said Deputy Collins.

Sligo Councillor Declan Bree told the meeting “The campaign against the household and water charges has built up significant resistance to the governments proposals since the beginning of the year.

“Everywhere the message is clear; people cannot and will not pay the debts of bankers and property developers

“The household charge is essentially an interim measure that will be replaced by a fully fledged property tax on the family home in the forthcoming budget. People should be made aware that registering for the household charge identifies homeowners and acknowledges liability.

“The household charge and the property tax on the family home are being imposed at the behest of the EU and IMF who insist that the monies raised by the tax will be used to pay off the private debts of the speculators, the developers, the bankers and the bondholders – the very people who have brought our country to the edge of ruin.

“The household charge, the septic tank charge, the universal social charge, the ongoing cuts in health and public services, the new property tax on the family home and the new water tax are in essence a form of collective punishment against the great majority of Irish people who are being forced by government to pay the private debts of speculators, developers and bankers.” Cllr Bree told the meeting.

Dr Brian O'Boyle who also addressed the meeting said "Each year the Irish state pays over €10 billion in interest payments. This money is robbed from the people through cuts and tax hikes.

"The only reason this scandalous state of affairs persists is that the European Central Bank ordered us to stuff private banks full of cash so that they could pay off debts to the European banks.

"The Troika never had any interest in helping the Irish people – they only wanted to shore up a dysfunctional EU financial system.

"These debts should all be cancelled. They are crippling Irish society and we should no longer suffer." Dr O'Boyle said.