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Alliance continues to fight tap tax and backs legal bid against it

12.44.16pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 6th Oct 2006

Portrait-yellow: MCCARTHY Kieran (photography: Allan Leonard)

Strangford Alliance Assembly Member, Kieran McCarthy

Alliance Party Chief Whip, Kieran McCarthy MLA, has backed the General Consumer Council's bid to prevent water charges. The General Consumer Council has launched a legal bid in the High Court to stop tap tax from being introduced here. Alliance is campaigning strongly to get the proposed water charges scrapped.

The Strangford Assembly Member said: "Alliance strongly supports the General Consumer Council's legal bid to stop the disgraceful tap tax.

"Tap tax will hit those on low incomes very hard. Water charges must never be introduced here. Alliance can prevent the tap tax crisis. We would bin the proposed charges and introduce a fair income tax linked to people's ability to pay.

"For decades Alliance has been consistently calling for a local income tax to prevent local people being landed with unfair rates and water bills.

"Alliance believes in the 'polluter pays' principle. This means that those using most resources should foot the bill. Tap tax is unfair as it does not match up to this principle and it penalises people on low incomes, like older people.

"I hope that the General Consumer Council's legal challenge against water charges is successful. Alliance will keep lobbying parliament until we secure the right result on this one."

Kieran McCarthy concluded: "Alliance will continue to fight tap tax, and we are committed to securing a successful outcome to our campaign."

ENDS

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Previous news story: Government must help loyalist areas instead of paying-off the UDA - Alliance (Fri 6th Oct 2006).
Next news story: Planning applications must be published in daily papers - Alliance (Fri 6th Oct 2006).

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