Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Priest urges parishioners not to pay household tax

A leading priest has told his parishioners not to pay the €100 household tax.

Fr Brian Ó Fearraigh has described the charge as "robbery" and said he will not listen to any bishop or cabinet minister on the issue.

Fr Ó Fearraigh, from Derrybeg, Co Donegal, is to speak at a number of upcoming meetings of the Can’t Pay Won’t Pay protest group.

"I believe this is an unjust law and I am advising people not to pay it. It is unjust and wrong.

"It is not benefiting the ordinary people. Words must flow and the people’s voices must be heard.

"It’s a duty for all priests to stand with their people and show solidarity. I was ordained to serve my community and we must stand by the people and send a strong message to Government," he said.

The Catholic priest, who admitted he will not have to pay the charge because he lives in rented accommodation, said he wanted all his fellow priests to support his call.

However, his call was criticised by Donegal senator Jimmy Harte.

Senator Harte said he was very annoyed that a priest would use his position to encourage people to "break the law".

"I go to Mass to hear religious instruction and not to be told to break the law.

"If people pick and choose what laws they want to obey then we’ll end up with anarchy.

"For a member of the Church to go out and encourage people not to pay this charge and obey the law is wrong.

"Nobody is getting it easy but we cannot go down the road of refusing to pay the tax."