A County Council has voted to ban its civil servants from using utility bills to track down people who refused to pay the €100 household charge.
Councillors in Donegal voted by 11 to three to prevent the use of the optional power given to staff under the legislation set up to collect the controversial charge.
The motion was brought about by Sinn Féin councillor Jack Murray and supported by Labour councillors. Fine Gael were the only party to oppose the motion.
The council also agreed to send their decision to other local authorities, asking each of them to follow suit.
"The vast majority of people in Donegal have not paid the household charge. They have not done so because it is unjust," said Mr Murray.
"This. . . was about protecting their privacy," he said.
It is believed that the motion has no legal effect, as local politicians have no role in revenue collection.
