Minister Phil Hogan has been given the go-ahead to use people’s household utility bills to find those who haven’t paid the €100 household charge.
So far, it looks like those who aren’t bothered paying the €100 household charge are winning a losing battle as only 200,000 of the 1.6 million households have forked over the cash. But ‘Big Phil’ isn’t having any procrastination on his watch, saying the March 31st deadline will not be pushed back.
Mr Hogan’s department is now confident that it will be granted access to the records of householders’ names and addresses held by the ESB following discussions with the Data Protection Commissioner.
Anyone who hasn’t paid the fee may be found by using the databases of the Revenue, the Department of Social Protection and the second-home tax records held by the local authorities. So be under no illusions – Big Phil can, and will, find you.
Late last night Sinn Fein’s environment spokesman Brian Stanley said the government were panicking.
“This is the clearest evidence yet that Minister Hogan is losing the household-charge battle. It is time he binned this unfair charge.”
Those of you who haven’t paid up will face a fine that will more than likely double if it isn’t paid before the deadline, while fines may be taken straight from people’s wages or social welfare payments.
Anyone who is living in a ghost estate and anyone on the mortgage-interest supplement will get a waiver from the charge, while those living in council estates will be exempt.
