Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I want to thank the people of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. In published media reports, it is top of the class in compliance with paying the household charge despite one of its Deputies advocating non-payment. To be specific, 76.3% of households in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown paid which can be positively compared to the national average of 56%. Why should my neighbour pay for the local services, facilities and grant money while others do not pay their fair share? Without a doubt, the people of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown have shown a keen sense of civic spirit and decent responsibility.

My constituents also have to go out to work, pay mortgages, stamp duty, higher child care costs and higher parking and transport costs. Mortgages in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown are very high with modest three-bedroom and four-bedroom semi-detached houses selling in the Celtic tiger era for between €500,000 and €700,000. Many of these home owners are under significant financial burdens but still paid their household charge. To be fair, many of them also have to pay for their children's education due to the shortage of places in State schools in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.

In the interests of my constituents, I am demanding that those who pay the most receive the most. There are several councils where less than 50% of registered houses have paid the charge. My constituents should not suffer for those other councils' lack of legal compliance. The implementation of a household charge is not a radical, extremist or new age move by the Government. Such a charge, or a variant of one, is in operation in many countries such as France, Germany, Greece and Italy. It might be a surprise to some, given that Sinn Féin introduced this Bill, but a household charge, in fact quite a burdensome one, is in operation in Northern Ireland.

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