Posted on 04/02/2012 4:20:22 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Almost half of Irish people have refused to pay a household tax imposed as part of promised savings measures, while government pressure to secure the levy risks further angering an austerity-weary public.
By a Saturday (31 March) midnight deadline, around 805,000 of the country's 1.6 million registered households had paid the tax, which has been subject to a high-profile boycott campaign.
The Irish government agreed to introduce it in 2012 as part of a deal with the EU and the International Monetary Fund—from which it secured an €85 billion loan in 2010. …
The boycott has been led by nine members of parliament. They compare the campaign to the massive protests in Ireland in the late 19th century against high rents and evictions. …
(Excerpt) Read more at euobserver.com ...
” Almost half of Irish people have refused to pay a household tax imposed “
Just, wow..
I’ll bet ya couldn’t get ‘almost half’ of FReepers to refuse to pay a tax..
Gotta love the Irish!!!
This will get ugly.
We don’t have that luxury here. Sure you could “refuse to pay”, and they’d go straight to back-door collection routines A and B: subtract it off your state tax refund, if you’re getting one, or add a lien to your house. Done.
And the rampant EU financial crises is over?
Since last fall there has been virtually no improvement in the wide spread EU financial crises affecting the P.I.I.G.S. nations. Granted the politicians have come to numerous agreements but none of the people that they RULE (not govern) have agreed to their solutions.
As a result strikes and other manifestations of the serfs discontent continue to show up.
My only question is - Are our professional politicians smart enough to learn? Well, I guess that question answers itself doesn’t it? Smart professional politician? What an interesting oxymoranic term!
The EU is already into a double-dip recession. They still are holding doggedly onto using the disease as the cure, just so they can get the kind of political power they wish.
How about an austerity cut?
Slainte!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.