GALWAY ANTI HOUSEHOLD CHARGE GROUP STEP UP CAMPAIGN DUE TO THREAT OF LEGAL ACTION

Date Published: 16-Aug-2012

The Galway group against the household charge is to step up its campaign in providing legal advice to the average 34 percent of homeowners here who it's feared may be taken to court over non-payment.

It follows comments from the Local Government Management Agency that legal action may be the next step against those who fail to comply in paying the 100 euro levy.

Agency CEO Paul McSweeney says street lights may need to be switched off - and community-run sports clubs will no longer exist - if people don't comply with the household charge.

Nationally, the compliance rate is 61 percent but the average in Galway is much higher at 66 percent

73 percent, almost three quarters of city householders have compiled with the requirement, while 59 percent of county householders have paid the charge.

The local campaign group boycotting the charge is to begin a series of city and county-wide meetings on the possibility of legal action, with the first to be held in O' Meara's Bar in Portumna this evening at 8.

Speaking to Galway Bay fm news, Conor Burke of Galway's campaign against the Household Charge says help is at hand for city and county residents who now live in fear of the consequences of non-payment.