THE NUMBER of Opposition deputies who say they will not pay the new household charge grew to at least 15 yesterday as more Sinn Féin deputies adopted the stance of the group of nine Independent and United Left Alliance TDs who are campaigning against the Government’s proposals.
Sinn Féin deputies Jonathan O’Brien, Pearse Doherty, Padraig Mac Lochlainn and Brian Stanley yesterday joined colleagues Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Dessie Ellis in saying they would not pay the charge. However, Mr Ellis is unlikely to have to pay because, as a local authority tenant, he will enjoy a waiver.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said that while the party was opposed to the charge, it was leaving the issue of whether to pay to individual choice because of the financial implications where fines were imposed.
A spokesman for Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan said there was “no ambiguity” in the legislation on an owner’s responsibility for paying the charge.
He also pointed out that landlords were prohibited from imposing rents above market rates, changing rents more than once a year and making changes to rent without advance notice.
Meanwhile, the Irish Property Owners’ Association yesterday repeated its call on landlords to pass on the charge to tenants on the basis of the “the user pays” principle. A spokeswoman argued that tenants should have to pay if they are benefiting from services funded by the charge, and said many landlords were in financial difficulty.
However, housing charity Threshold said it was horrified by the association’s stance. The legislation “couldn’t be clearer” in stating that the obligation to pay rested with the owner rather than the occupier, according to Threshold chairman Senator Aileen Hayden.