First household charge case to be heard this July

First household charge case to be heard this July


A hearing date has been set for the first ever prosecutions in the country for the non-declaration of the household charge. A judge at Westport District Court last week put the charges in for hearing on July 4 next, for the non-declaration of the household charge against Pether Anthony (Tony) Keegan of Belcare, Westport.
Judge Mary Devins made the decision after being informed that Mr Keegan’s appeal was not lodged in time and an application to extend time had as of yet, not been lodged. Mr Keegan who was not in court, was represented by his son Brendan Keegan.
Summonses were issued against Mr Keegan in relation to six units located at The Quay, Westport. Mayo County Council became the first local authority in the country to issue summonses against householders for the non-declaration and payment of the controversial household charge.
Tony Keegan’s High Court challenge has questioned the validity of the household charge. He has named ministers Phil Hogan, Alan Shatter and Michael Noonan as among those he says are in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Mr Keegan’s challenge states that the defendants wilfully neglected and disregarded a demand for information and answers about what he claims is an unlawfully concocted local government household charge.
Mr Keegan says he has been given no recourse to a defence on the matter, which he claims is unlawful, unconstitutional and a human rights violation.