MOTION ON PROPERTY TAX DEFEATED

A MOTION TABLED by Cllr Declan Bree calling on the government to withdraw the proposed property tax was defeated at this month’s meeting of the County Council.  One Fianna Fail councillor joined with Fine Gael councillors in voting against the motion while another joined with the Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Veronica Cawley in abstaining on the vote.

Speaking to his motion Cllr Bree said, “Just two years ago during the General Election campaign the Labour Party in its manifesto stated that a Green Paper should be produced by the end of 2012 to show how a site value charge could be “structured in a fair and efficient manner.”

“Fine Gael in their election manifesto pledged to keep tax increases to a minimum.  They stated that the “International evidence shows that tax hikes on average, raise the unemployment rate by three times more than spending cuts.”.

“In line with this approach they explicitly stated that “Fianna Fail’s proposal to introduce by 2014 an annual, recurring residential property tax on the family home is unfair”.

“Some year’s earlier the Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny said ‘it is morally unjust and unfair to tax a person’s home’.  Mr Kenny likened such a charge to ‘a vampire tax in that it drives a stake through the heart of home ownership’.

“Neither of the two government parties won an election by stating honestly that they would impose a tax on the family home.

“The sole aim of this new tax on the family home is to raise money to pay off the private debts of bankers, speculators and bondholders.

“Ordinary people are now recognising that they have been betrayed by those who claim to be looking after their interests.

“Enda Kenny was correct when he said it is morally unjust and unfair to tax a person’s home.

“As far as I am concerned the proposed new tax on the family home, like the universal social charge, and the ongoing cuts in health and public services are in essence a form of collective punishment against the great majority of Irish people who are being forced by government to pay the private debts of speculators, developers and bankers.   The tax on the family home is unfair, it’s unjust, and it’s immoral.” said Cllr Bree.

Cllr Bree proposed: “That this Council abhors the Government proposal to impose a tax on the family home and calls on Fine Gael and Labour to withdraw the proposed penal tax.” The motion was seconded by Cllr Sean MacManus.