This drip, drip of new taxes has us running dry

OF course, the proposed new drink tax is only the tip of the iceberg. We’ve been hit with so many stealth taxes over the past couple of years that the entire Cabinet should only be allowed out in public if wearing Dick Turpin costumes. When it comes to Phil Hogan’s new water charge, the justification is that most other European countries already have a similar levy. Perhaps they do – but most of them also have a proper public transport service and a decent health system, and I don’t see any great rush to replicate that here. According to the official figures, about 1.5million households will be eligible for the charge when it is brought in during the second half of next year. Such is the Government’s rush to introduce it and relieve us all of even more of our hard-earned, however, that only a quarter of homes will be fitted with meters in time for the starting date. The owners of the remaining 1million-plus homes can instead look forward to having their charges assessed over a period that could run to several years. Even by the authorities’ own timetable, only two-thirds of homes will be equipped with meters by the end of 2016. The scheme is being run by the recently formed Irish Water, a subsidiary of Bord Gáis. Suffice to say, as anyone who has ever had their gas bill assessed will know, the figures involved are often wildly inaccurate. And not in a good way, either.