TÁNAISTE EAMON Gilmore has said he acknowledges there have been “difficulties in relation to the communication of the household charge” to people.

“To some extent that is understandable enough in a situation where this is a new charge and the method of payment is new,” he added.

Mr Gilmore rejected a suggestion from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin that the March 31st deadline for payment be extended. He added that he had spoken to Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan earlier yesterday and no change was planned.

“It is possible to make the payment at the post office,” he added. “I understand arrangements have been made for the forms and so on to be . . . in post offices . . . and that people can make the payment at the post office.” Mr Gilmore said this was in addition to the arrangement in place to pay it online or by post.

He said that the charge was an interim measure, pending the introduction of a property tax, and it must be paid.

Mr Martin said his party would be bringing forward legislation to extend the payment deadline to the end of September.

He accused the Government of mishandling the matter, adding that its attitude smacked of “arrogance, carelessness and, to be frank, incompetence”.

Mr Martin said that, although the charge was announced last July, the majority of households across the country had yet to receive information leaflets.

“There has been no proactive campaign,” said Mr Martin.

“Not everyone has access to the web for information on how to pay or know what choices are available to them.”

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said there were 10 days left before the deadline and just over 80 per cent of households had not paid the charge.

“It is fair to state that the Government’s handling of this issue has been shambolic,” she added.

“It is also fair to say that its desperation is evident, particularly when one considers the increasingly shrill tones used by Ministers in trying to frighten citizens into paying the charge.”

Ms McDonald said the Government should stop trying to bully the electorate and instead try listening for a change. People, she said, knew that the charge was unfair and unjust and it should be withdrawn.

Mr Gilmore said the charge would not be scrapped. The Government, he said, was not in the business of bullying anybody.

“However, we do want to be straight with people,” he said.

“Deputy McDonald, her party and those others who are campaigning against the household charge should do likewise.” There was no point in misleading people into believing that the charge would not have to be paid, “that it will be wished away or that it will be made to vanish”, he added.

Households were required to pay the charge. If it was not paid, the normal penalties and interest charges in respect of unpaid taxes would come into play, he said.