Household and water charges ‘unfeasible’ say campaigners
Campaigners opposed to the household charge say recent survey findings “prove that it is not feasible” to impose further taxes on those “already completely strapped for cash”.
The Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes (CAHWT) highlighted the survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions, which indicated that more than 1.8 million people have only €25 per week left over after paying their bills.
According to CAHWT spokesperson Gregor Kerr, the results also show that half of all households struggle to pay their bills on time, and that 40 per cent of households have had to borrow to pay their bills over the last 12 months.
“In this context, how does the Government possibly believe that it can impose property and water taxes which will amount to over €1,000 per household?” said Kerr. “People’s incomes have been slashed by a combination of austerity measures and stealth taxes. They have had enough and cannot take the imposition of any more financial pain.”
Kerr added that the survey must be looked at in the context of figures released last week showing that the top 10,000 Irish earners, who have average incomes of €595,000 per year, pay an effective tax rate of just 29 per cent.
“Instead of wasting time sending harassing letters to people who have refused to register for the household tax, the Government should be taking moves to ensure that the wealthy are made to pay more tax.”
Kerr was speaking ahead of a CAHWT-organised “march against austerity” in Dublin city centre on Wednesday 18 July.
