Govt to scour databases to make sure household tax is paid

15 Dec 2011

The databases of the Revenue Commissioners, the ESB and organisations like the Private Residential Tenancies Board will be scoured to ensure that homeowners across Ireland pay the new €100 household charge.

Failure to pay the new tax will result in fines of up to €2,500.

The Revenue Commissioners, the ESB and the Private Residential Tenancies Board will pass information onto the various county councils to ensure collection.

The three different data sets will yield obvious information, such as who uses electricity, who pays stamp duty and capital gains taxes and, of course, various rental properties.

It is understood that the Government has been testing a new website that will be used to enable people to pay the new charge electronically.

Only those receiving social welfare, tenants of local authority housing and people living in the infamous ghost estates will be exempt from the charge.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com