Fight to abolish the household tax will go on - Kelly

On the day of the deadline for registration to the household charge, Cllr Anthony Kelly has said that this is not the end of the campaign to reverse the unfair tax. Cllr Kelly insisted that the fight to abolish the controversial tax was not ending and cited Sinn Fein’s household charge repeal bill in June as another opportunity to have this inequitable tax quashed. The Wexford Sinn Féin rep made the comments as he urged as many people as possible to attend today’s national protest against the tax in Dublin.

“Today might be the government’s deadline for registration, but the fight to have the household tax abolished is by no means over,” Cllr Kelly said. “Up to a million people have not yet registered. Minister Hogan can leave the local authority buildings opened all day and night but a large percentage of the 1.6 million households eligible for this tax will not pay no matter how much spin or threats are thrown at them. Fine Gael should acknowledge at their Ard Fheis today that they have lost the battle to intimidate the people of Ireland into paying this unfair tax.”

“In June, Sinn Féin will be bringing its Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012 before the Dail. The aim of this bill is to repeal the household charge and allow the Department to reimburse those households that have already paid it. Sinn Féin has argued from the start that the only way to beat this charge is to have it abolished. If this level of pressure remains on the government they will have to relent and allow this inequitable tax to be quashed.”

“Sinn Féin has supported the protests organised by the people of Wexford against the household tax across our county. Today we will be supporting the national protest outside the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Dublin. I’m calling on the people of County Wexford to support today’s protest. The fight to abolish the household charge will go on and together we can beat this unfair tax.”