DONEGAL anti-austerity groups say they will attend a meeting in Dublin next month to ‘fire up’ their campaign against the Government and will run candidates in the local elections next year here.
Resentment is the over-riding feeling with people in Donegal who decided that they had no choice but to register for the property tax, says Joe Murphy from Donegal Action Against Austerity.
“While huge numbers of people in the county were opposed to the property tax,they lacked the confidence about refusing to pay as a form of protest,” said Mr Murphy.
“Once the power of deductions at source was introduced by the government ,and when not enough of a fight -back could be built, a resignation developed amongst people that ”they’ll get it anyway”. There was also widespread belief that huge penalties could be imposed on those who boycotted.
“With about 90% registration,it is unlikely that forcible deduction of the tax from wages and welfare will put pressure on the government the way it could ‘ve done if boycott levels had been higher.
“We now have the appalling vista of a government that includes a so called Labour Party,forcibly taking this unjust tax out of the pockets of workers, un-employed and pensioners while the country remains a tax haven for corporate giants and billionaires.”
Mr Murphy said that the property tax remains a huge political issue.
“This is why campaigners in Donegal have attended discussion meetings in Dublin on standing candidates in next year’s local elections,” said the DAAA spokesman.
“So far campaign groups across the country including Donegal have agreed to stand candidates in the local elections. Other areas are in discussions about joining, which could see anti-home tax anti-austerity candidates challenge for seats through out the state.
“It makes sense that those who fought and protested the tax should now challenge the political parties to abolish it.
“Why should the campaign which has done the most to struggle and resist home taxes and austerity stand aside and give a free run to the likes of Fianna Fail and others who have not seriously fought austerity?”
The next meeting the activists from Donegal will be attending will be on September the 14th in Dublin.The purpose will be to agree a programme that candidates through out the country will run on.
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