Louth has the second lowest registration rate for water charges in the country

Louth has the second lowest registration rate for water charges, according to new figures published in today’s Irish Examiner.

The figures reveal that just 28,814 of the 44,043 eligible households, or 65%, have registered to date.

That was on a par with Dublin, with only Leitrim (57%) having a lower rate of sign-ups.

The figures were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from Irish Water and show the numbers registered across the 26 counties as of February 23^rd.

Estimates on the percentage registered in each county were compiled comparing the Irish Water figures with the 2011 census data on private households from the CSO. The actual number of dwellings in each county is likely to be more.

Louth has the worst record for paying the household charge

Louth has been named as the county with the worst record of paying the household charge.

According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Sunday Business Post, Revenue has imposed more mandatory deductions per person in the Wee County than in any other.

So far, 1,800 people in Louth – 1.46% of the population – have had their wages or occupational pensions deducted by Revenue to recover the household charge.

In total there are currently 45,000 people having their wages or salaries docked to pay the household charge, which has been replaced by the property tax.

The counties with the next highest non-compliance rates are Leitrim, Meath and Cavan.

Mullen received over €230,000 last year from DPP

Fergus Mullen

Local solicitor Fergus Mullen received €231,708 last year working for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In total, private solicitors working for the DPP received €6.5m last year, according to information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Irish Examiner.

As the State Solicitor for Louth, Mr Mullen – of firm Woods Ahern Mullen –  received the 11^th highest amount in the country.

The money to state solicitors does not represent a salary for the state solicitor — instead the fees that are paid include allowances for a personal salary, staff costs, premises and other overheads, as well as travel and subsistence.

Remuneration is divided into six bands to reflect the anticipated amount of work required in each geographical area. Additional fees are paid in certain circumstances, including long-running trials.

As part of their contract, state solicitors provide a 24 hour a day, 365 day a year, service, but are not entitled to a state pension.

A good proportion of the work of a state solicitor involves the preparation of books of evidence for trials that are proceeding on indictment for trial by judge and jury to the circuit or central criminal courts.