Joe Higgins walks out over Rehn’s insistence on the confidentiality of discussion

In mid-January, over seven million people in the United States contacted members of the Congress to show their opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). Both pieces of legislation proposed to give sweeping powers to the Courts to force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to immediately block access to particular websites at the behest of big business.  But as a result of the mass opposition shown to SOPA and PIPA, both laws have been temporarily defeated and put on hold.

"Get a life" is Minister Shatter's message to those fighting the household tax. Labour has also tried to put the boot in but clearly they are nervous that this movement can decisively damage its base in working class areas up and down the country.

Here we post the video of Joe Higgins' speech in the Dail on the new household tax.

Speaking at a press conference convened this morning in response to the Budget, Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said: "The draconian proposals for the attempted implementation of the new Property Tax have the stamp of a Troika dictat and verge on a financial dictatorship attacking low and middle income households. The proposal is a grotesque abuse of Revenue powers to try cow home owners but there will be massive anger, discontent and active resistance.