A chara, – Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan stated that if necessary he would change data protection legislation in order to gain access to householders’ information through utilities companies.
One has to be impressed at the speed at which the Minister is willing to change legislation that stands between him and raiding the pockets of ordinary, hard-pressed homeowners. Perhaps the Government could apply the same enthusiasm to protecting the citizens of this State as they do to scaring them. – Is mise,
A chara, – While I strenuously object to the imposition of the new household charge, I am still puzzled by the administrative acrobatics being undertaken by the State to ensure that it gains access to property owners’ details.
Every year the taxpayer provides between €35 and €40 million to run the Property Registration Authority, which since its formation in 2006 has taken over the roles of both the Land Registry office and the Registry of Deeds.
What exactly does a Property Registration Authority do if not keep a registry of property? Why are we spending over €35,000,000 on their services? And how much more money is being wasted by the Government in trying to compile a second property registry from diverse other sources? – Is mise,
Sir, – Brian Murphy (March 19th) is waiting for a reply from his TD, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar on issues surrounding the NPPR and household charge payments. It is possible that the Mr Varadkar does not know the answer as he is, as a Minister, exempt from paying the household charge.
As this is a new tax and one mandated by the present Government, is it not a sad to see a small but telling example of how our representatives give themselves tax breaks while the rest of us shoulder the burden? In light of this, I find Mr Hogan’s threat to pursue those who do not pay infuriating. – Yours, etc,
Sir, –
The letter from Angela Morris, (March 20th) is frightening. In it she states: “I intend not to pay any household charge . . . I have informed the Minister of my decision. I am glad we don’t set fire to banks in Ireland. This is my peaceful protest.”
Peaceful?
No citizen in a democracy has the right to break the laws that she does not like without going through the Ghandi/King rules on civil disobedience.
Ms Morris has obviously not based her letter on them.
Does Ms Morris not understand that if every citizen in a democracy decides only to follow those laws that she feels are “proper” that eventually anarchy will follow and not only will the banks be burned down, but every symbol which gives Ms Morris the freedom to take such an appalling stand?
– Yours, etc,
Sir, – May I, through your Letters page, report the Government to the Advertising Standards Authority? A recent radio ad said clearly that the money collected from the forthcoming household tax is for vital local services. This is obviously untrue as the money is being collected centrally and, paraphrasing the news later that morning, all the “spare” money Ireland has is needed for paying off our massive debt, caused by corrupt and/or negligent bankers and developers.
The Government should be forced to retract the ads and apologise to all of us. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Like your correspondent, Angela Morris (March 20th), I do not intend to pay the “household” tax.
I am a pensioner. I have always, until now, paid my way. However, this is an unjust tax – regressive and discriminatory.
The Taoiseach, Minister for the Environment and other Government spokespeople may threaten, cajole and bully; the simple fact is that I have no moral obligation to pay an unjust tax.
Perhaps our present Government should ponder the historical record (from the French Revolution to the more recent Thatcher Poll Tax in Britain) where injustice – particularly in taxes – has invariably toppled governments. – Yours, etc,