Dublin West: Joe Higgins

Turmoil over the issue of the flying of the union flag has now continued across Northern Ireland for six weeks. The protests, blocking of roads and frequent rioting began on 3 December when Belfast City Council voted to fly the flag over City Hall on seventeen “designated days” only rather than 365 days a year. Since then there have been protests almost every day-including a small protest on Christmas Day itself.

The first three months of 2012 could turn out to be an historic period in the modern political and social life of this State. It could be when the quiet majority of the population takes a decisive stand against shouldering any more burdens to bail out the major bankers, speculators and bondholders of Europe at the behest of the unholy trinity of the EU/IMF/ECB with the Fine Gael/Labour government as its agent. And the potent weapon they can wield is a boycott of the registration and payment of the newly imposed Household Tax.

The government’s proposed Household Charge of €100 is the forerunner for water charges and a property tax on every home.  A pensioner or low paid worker pays the same as a millionaire. How rotten!  This new tax has absolutely nothing to do with improving council services – the proceeds go towards the bailout of wealthy gamblers and bankers, for which ordinary people are being bled dry.