TD PRINGLE: I WILL GO TO JAIL RATHER THAN PAY TAX

DONEGAL SOUTH West TD Thomas Pringle has repeated his call today for people to boycott the new household charge – and says he will go to jail.

He was part of a group of nine TDs who launched a campaign in Dublin this morning.

“We need the support of the public to stop this charge,” said Deputy Pringle.

“I won’t pay it and I will go to jail rather than pay it,” he added.

The other TDs included Socialist TDs Clare Daly and Joe Higgins; People Before Profit TDs Richard Boyd Barrett and Joan Collins; as well as Independents Seamus Healy, Mick Wallace, John Halligan and Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan.

Clare Daly said that after three years of austerity the household charge “was the straw to break the camel’s back” and she urged householders to heed their call and resist paying.

A spokesperson for the Environment Minister said Phil Hogan believes the nine TDs are irresponsible and are “engaging in a cynical, emotive PR stunt” He said it was wrong for Opposition TDs as legislators to encourage people to break the law.