A public meeting will be held in Tuam next week to discuss and plan boycotting and resisting the Government’s proposed household and septic tank charges.
The meeting takes place on Monday at 8pm in Corralea Hotel. It is open to all and is aimed specifically at residents of Tuam and surrounding districts.
The proposed household charge will be set initially at €100 per household, however the Government think tank the ESRI predicts that this will rise to upwards of €800 by 2013/4.
Rural dwellers with a septic tank will have to pay what has been touted as a once-off ‘registration’ fee and €200 fee per inspection. A further €200 will be demanded if a household wishes to challenge an inspector’s decision.
“This is the first austerity measure that actually gives an opportunity to resist,” said meeting organiser Seán Byrne. “We were unable to prevent the likes of the Universal Service Charge and cuts to wages and social welfare, however the method of collection of this unfair charge allows us to say to the Government ‘no more’!”
Mr Byrne said “a clear message” must be sent to the Government that ordinary people “did not make this mess, we are struggling to keep our heads above water, and we will not pay for the mistakes of the rich.”
For more information on the proposed household charge and the campaign to oppose it see www.nohouseholdtax.org
