Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is because of the difference in scale of the tax. I will give the Deputy a sense of how broad we believe this tax will be in comparison with the current vacant site levy. Currently, the vacant site levy is applied to 501 ha across the country. My recollection is that it applies to several hundred properties. Our estimate is that the zoned land tax will cover approximately 8,000 ha to 9,000 ha. Therefore, it will be 16 to 18 times bigger than the current tax. Whereas the current vacant site levy is one with which very few landowners interface, the residential zoned land tax will become a core part of how land is taxed if homes are not being built on it. The reason is difference of scale.