City and County Council offices are set to open on Saturday in a desperate attempt to get people to pay the €100 household charge before the deadline.
The government, who so far have seen just 26% of the 1.6 million householders liable for the charge register, are also set to embark upon a last minute advertising blitz in order to encourage a late payment rush.
Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has ruled out an extension to the March 31st deadline and said he had confidence that many Irish people would pay up “close to the wire”.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the €100 charge was fair while speaking in China yesterday and would be a “forerunner to a property charge that will follow.”
Sinn Féin has called on the government to scrap the charge, however, with party leader Gerry Adams insisting that public sector salaries should be cut to a maximum of €100,000 – a move that would save €265 million, over €100 million more than the target for the household charge.
