Over the last two years éirígí has been to the fore of the
campaign against the introduction of new home and water taxes in the Twenty-Six
Counties. In Coolock, Artane and Donaghmede éirígí activists have worked with
the local community and other political groupings to build mass opposition to
these two unjust taxes.
During this time éirígí activists have helped organise more
than fifteen public meetings in the area – meetings that have given local
people an important opportunity to get together, share ideas and organise resistance
to the home and water taxes. Arising from these meetings a series of public
protests were held outside the offices and clinics of local government TDs.
éirígí activists have also organised numerous information stalls and delivered
tens of thousands of information leaflets to homes across Coolock, Artane and
Donaghmede.
The first phase of the campaign saw thousands of homeowners
in north-east Dublin join with hundreds of thousands of others in a mass
boycott of Labour and Fine Gael’s “household charge”. Before the deadline for
payment of the “household charge” was even reached it was clear that this new
austerity tax had been defeated. The “household charge” boycott, which was the
largest act of civil disobedience in this state in decades, showed what the
people are capable of when they act together.
Following the defeat of the “household charge” Labour, Fine
Gael and their Troika masters went back to the drawing board and came back with
the new “property tax”. In order to ensure compliance with their “property tax”
the government gave the Revenue Commissioners a range of unprecedented,
draconian powers including the ability to deduct the tax directly from wages,
social welfare payments and even personal bank accounts. In the face of such
undemocratic and intimidatory measures many people have understandably paid the
unjust “property tax”. But the fight against the “property tax” and the soon to
be introduced water tax is far from over.
Speaking about the new home and water taxes éirígí’s local
representative Ciaran Heaphey said, “By working together, communities across
the Twenty-Six Counties were able to defeat the “household charge” through a
mass boycott. In response to this defeat the government changed its tactics, so
we too have to change our tactics to ensure that the property and water taxes
are also defeated.
“This government have effectively removed people’s ability
to boycott the property tax, so we need to build political pressure in other
ways, including through protest, civil disobedience, direct actions and next
year’s local elections. Everyone has a role to play in building opposition to
these taxes.
“In the next few months the mass installation of water
meters is set to begin. It is essential that these installations are met with
widespread community resistance. éirígí have produced an information video
showing people how to disable the water-meter chambers.
“I would encourage people to take a look at the video and
start thinking about what they can do to prevent the introduction of unjust
water taxes in our community.”
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