Senator Jimmy Harte has slammed a leading priest for encouraging people not to pay the €100 household charge.
Senator Harte slammed Fr Brian O’Fearragh after Donegaldaily.com first revealed the priest’s stance on the issue.
Fr Brian O’Fearraigh has described the charge as “robbery” and said he will not listen to any Bishop or Government Minister on the issue.
Fr. O’Fearraigh, from Derrybeg, Co Donegal, is to speak at a number of upcoming meetings of the Can’t Pay Won’t Pay protest group.
“I believe this is an unjust law and I am advising people not to pay it. It is unjust and wrong.
“It is not benefitting the ordinary people. Words must flow and the people’s voices must be heard.
“It’s a duty for all priests to stand with their people and show solidarity. I was ordained to serve my community and we must stand by the people and send a strong message to Government,” he said.
The well-known cleric told the Shaun Doherty Show says the Government will simply not be able to take the estimated 1.2 million people who said they will not pay the charge to court.
He admitted he will not have to pay the charge because he lives in rented accommodation but wanted all his fellow priests to support his call.
But he said he considers the charge is nothing more than a theft of the Irish people.
“In my opinion this money is just being collected to pay the IMF and that is wrong.
“It is an injustice – robbery and theft of the people – to give something to someone else that does not belong to you.
“Nobody will use bully-boy tactics to shut me up including the Government. It’s a free country and everyone has the right to freedom of speech,” he said.
Fr.O’Fearraigh has received huge support from the public for speaking out against the household charge.
However Senator Jimmy Harte has slammed Fr O’Fearraigh’s call.
Senator Harte said he was very annoyed that a priest would use his position to encourage people to “break the law.”
“I go to mass to hear religious instruction and not to be told to break the law.
“If people pick and choose what laws they want to obey then we’ll end up with anarchy,” said Senator Harte.
