The head of the largest local authority in the country has confirmed that local services such as parks and libraries will be shut if people do not pay the household charge.

The manager of Cork County Council Martin Riordan says the government has cut the funding for all local authorities by €170 million and therefore local councils are very much relying on income from the €100 tax to keep their budgets afloat.

Meanwhile new figures from the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) indicate that an additional 6,185 people have registered for the Household Charge in the last 7 days.

That is an increase of just 0.6% on the figures at the end of last week.

Earlier this week the LGMA which manages the charge warned that letters threatening legal action would be sent to householders who have not paid up.

Over 1 million houses are now registered but its estimated about 600,000 homeowners have yet to register.

However it has been suggested that the wages of many local authority workers should be cut in an effort to balance the books.

Mr. O’Riordan for example is paid over €162,000.

He says he has already taken a 25% pay cut and has defended his salary.

He spoke with Lunchtime here on Newstalk.