Sir, – I’m in my 70s, but that’s just the natural course of events. I’m epileptic, arthritic and take heart medication; these things too are no one’s fault. I get along adequately on my State pension of around €230 a week. I live, alone and content, in a house I built myself – I mean with my own hands – and while it may not be a proper “house” by some people’s standards, it suits me very well.
Apart from electricity and the telephone, both of which I pay for, I have no “services” that I don’t provide for myself. I am far beyond the reach of dustcarts. I do have a travel pass; but the only public transport available to me is the co-opted school bus (cheers, Paddy, the best bus driver that ever was) to town on Fridays. A while back there was a mountain fire which came close to burning me out but, after some hours, I managed – alone – to steer it away. Then, too late, the fire brigade came; though I myself had not called it. Later, I got a bill for its “services”. More recently I had occasion to call – for the first time in my life and late at night (and I the holder of a medical card) – an ambulance. I had fallen, and cracked my head and was unable to stop the bleeding. The ambulance took me 40 miles to Bantry hospital for six stitches, and I got a bill for the journey.
I wish to make it clear that I am not complaining. Such public services as there are purported to be for the likes of people who need them are only a joke in the style of Flann O’Brien, God rest him. We don’t take them seriously enough to complain.
They wish to meter my water? They’ll have to meter the stream that flows past, or the rain, so.
For what, then, am I now supposed to pay a “household charge”? Well, I will not. I’ll go to jail first. The food will be worse than I’m used to, but I suppose the cell will be warm. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I find it fascinating that members of the Dáil are allowed to actively encourage citizens of the State to break the law by boycotting the household charges next year. Surely a sanction exists against this? Is this lack of respect for the rule of law an example our elected representatives are allowed to set?
On the flipside, I can assure my local council that I’ll be holding it even more accountable than now for proper service delivery once I pay my household charge next year. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Taoiseach Enda Kenny says the new household charge is only €2 a week. What are the facilities to pay it that way – and in cents? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The new household charge at €100 represents 1.02 per cent of the annual income of a single person on social welfare; a 1.02 per cent share of someone’s income earning €200,000 would be €2,040. Rather more useful to the Exchequer.
Perhaps Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan would consider this approach to the “household charge”. It would raise more income until the valuation database is prepared.
Or does the Minister consider removing 1.02 per cent (€2,040) of income from someone earning €200,000 to be to onerous a burden? After all, we are all in this together, apparently. – Yours, etc,