Joe Higgins TD

Video: Joe Higgins questions Taoiseach over visit of Chinese Vice-President

Dr. Liu Xiaobo is in his third year of an 11 year sentence in China. His crime was to write a charter seeking democracy, freedom of speech and religion and an independent judiciary. Over Christmas, Chen Xi was sentenced to ten years in jail in south-west China for the crime of writing articles on the Internet seeking political reform and human rights. At the same time, Chen Wei was given nine years in jail for articles critical of the Communist Party of China.

Amnesty International asked the Taoiseach to raise the cases of these three prisoners of conscience and others with the Vice...

Comment: Labour’s shame at privatisation of bin service

Since the privatisation of the household bin collection system within the functional area of Dublin City Council kicked in last month, it has been one shambolic controversy after another. The threat this week by Greyhound Waste, which was handed the service by Dublin City Council, that it would not collect the bins of up to 18,000 householders who had not paid a fee in full and upfront is but the latest issue to emerge.

Yesterday Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore was not pleased at the charge in the Dail that he personally carried a heavy responsibility for the privatisation of the city waste management...

Video: Footage of Dublin West CAHWT constituency-wide meeting

Over 200 turned out in Blanchardstown on Wednesday 15th February to hear Joe Higgins TD and local activist Eileen Gabbett speak on behalf of the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes

The second video is a compilation of contributions from the crowd

Comment: Finance Bill is reflective of Government having no solution to crisis except making ordinary people pay

The government’s newest job creation gimmick revealed in the Finance Bill just published, really does point up its policy bankruptcy in dealing with the crisis of mass unemployment in the State. The huge tax break offered to senior executives earning up to half a million Euro per annum, who work for transnational corporations and would be prepared to move here for one year, is supposed to attract some of the ‘brightest and best’ to come and do something to create jobs in this economy.

A few dozen individuals may avail of this tax carrot. As they arrive in Dublin Airport, they will...

Video: Joe Higgins warns Government over growing momentum for Anti-Household Tax Boycott Campaign

Last night, more than 700 people packed into the Tower Hotel in Waterford to demand withdrawal of this Government’s household and related taxes. The local media will confirm the details as they will for the 400 in Carlow on Monday night and similar meetings held from Wexford to Donegal on other nights.

Last night, a very dignified pensioner asked me at the meeting if it was true that the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, had one time condemned tax on the home as wrong, and I said that I would have the opportunity to ask him directly this morning. Does the Taoiseach recognise

It...

CAHWT Press Statement: Hogan’s climbdown reflects growing pressure on home taxes

Hogan’s climbdown reflects growing pressure on home taxes

The concession by the government on the septic tank registration charge is a desperate attempt to stem the growing opposition to household taxes. Momentum is now building against the household tax and, with 95% still not paying, the government faces mass non-registration of the first troika-imposed tax.

Huge attendances have taken place around the country in the last week at public meetings organised by the Campaign Against Household & Water Taxes, most recently last night in Carlow where 400 packed the Seven...

Comment: There must be a referendum on Austerity Treaty

Usually it takes some years for a new government to develop a haughty arrogance toward the people who put it in power. With the current Fine Gael/Labour Coalition this time span has been shortened to less than one year, something to do no doubt, with its huge majority of sixty in the Dáil.

That arrogance has been in full display this week on the question of the new Eurozone ‘fiscal compact’ and on whether this should be put to the Irish people in a referendum. It will have come as no surprise that Fine Gael Transport Minister Leo Varadkar was among the first to opine that the people...

CAHWT Press Statement: Household Tax registrati​on headache for government

CAMPAIGN AGAINST HOUSEHOLD & WATER TAXES (CAHWT)

One month on: mass boycott of Household Tax on course

Mass boycott of registration for the Household Tax is on course, based on the government’s own figures of around 4% after the first month. 96% of householders have not signed up, with an actual slow-down in the rate since early January. If this rate was to continue, only 12% would have registered by March 31st. Even if the rate doubled, 76% would be boycotting the tax. Registration also includes people not liable for the charge at all, masking the real level of non-payment.

The...