Phil Hogan has nothing to be proud of in the Household Charge according to the Green Party.

Commenting following figures released showing a 70% compliance with registration and payment of the Household Charge, the Green Party said that Environment Minister Phil Hogan's self flattery will not deceive people about the mistakes that were made in the introduction of the charge.

Green Party Spokesperson on Environment Community and Local Government, Cllr Malcolm Noonan said: "Minister Hogan's distrust of Local Government means that the new Property Tax, like the Household charge will be collected by the revenue commissioners and only then redistributed to Local Authorities. Every model of Local Government in Europe is based on local revenue raising powers being directly used for local services in collaboration with the citizen.

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"Even at this late stage the Government should switch to a system where revenues raised locally stay locally and where communities have a direct involvement in how those monies are spent.

"Minister Hogan thinks he has proven his critics wrong but compliance has been achieved at a very high price. Local Authorities were forced to implement supplementary budget cuts to essential programmes as punishment for not meeting targets.

"The Minister added fuel to the fire of the anti household tax campaign by failing to communicate with citizens what the charge was for. He gave the campaign a head start and was always on the back heel."

(CD/GK)