Above: Hogan, Burton and protestors at the National Stadium on Saturday showing the number of people they claim won’t pay the Household charge.

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan last night flatly contradicted a statement made earlier in the day by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton.

She suggested at lunchtime yesterday that arrangements were being made to allow people to pay the household charge through their local post office.

Ms Burton also described next Saturday’s deadline for the payment of the charge as “ambitious” although she urged people to pay by the deadline.

Mr Hogan told The Irish Times later that there had been no change in the arrangements for payment of the charge and no change in the deadline.

*popcorn*

Ministers At Odds Over Payment Of Household Charge (Stephen Collins and Fiona Gartland, Irish Times)