Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

We are dealing with amendment No. 2 and also with the section opposed by the United Left Alliance. Dúirt an Aire níos luaithe go bhfuil an locht ar an Rialtas deiridh. Dúirt sé gurb é sin an fáth gur gá don Rialtas an reachtaíocht seo a chur os ár gcomhair faoi dheifir agus faoi fhuadar. Dúirt sé nach bhfuil aon rogha eile ann. Bhí rogha eile ann, mar a dúirt roinnt Teachtaí a labhair romham. Tá rogha fós ag an Aire. Nuair a labhair mé ar an Dara Céim, luaigh mé gur féidir linn cáin rachmais nó cáin maoine a thabhairt isteach. Dá mbeadh sé sin á dhéanamh againn, beimid fós ag déileáil go díreach leis an gcinneadh nó gealltanas a rinne an Rialtas deiridh. Bheadh cáin de shórt éigin ar shealúchas, tithe nó foirgnimh. Bheadh sé san áireamh go bhfuil cáin maoine i gceist. Dúirt an tAire, an Teachta Noonan, sa Dáil go bhféadfaimís breis is €500 milliún a ardú dá mbeadh a leithéid de cháin againn. Cáin forásach a bheadh i gceist. Bainfeadh sé leo siúd a bhfuil breis acu, seachas iad siúd atá ar an ngannchuid. Tá rogha ag an Aire. Bhí rogha eile aige. Nuair a toghadh an Rialtas seo, dúradh go ndéanfar iarracht athphlé a dhéanamh leis an IMF chun an cinneadh ar fad a athrú. Tháinig an Rialtas ar ais go dtí an Dáil ag maíomh gur éirigh leis ó thaobh an ráta úis. Níor lorg an Rialtas go mbeadh an tír seo saoraithe ón gcinneadh nó gealltanas a ghlac an Rialtas deiridh maidir leis an gcáin seo. Tá an deis sin fós ag an Rialtas. Bheadh sé an éasca dul ar ais chuig an IMF agus a rá go bhfuil an Rialtas ag iarraidh dul i dtreo eile. Ba cheart don Rialtas a léiriú go bhfuil bealach eile ann.

These amendments capture the essence of the argument I have made that people dependent on social welfare will be hit hard by this Bill as drafted. It would be reasonable for the category of houses listed in the amendment to be exempted from the charge. Other houses should also be included. Several years ago, we passed planning regulations which set down a minimum space requirement for new houses. Any house that falls below that certain square footage should be exempted. There are also homes with minimum maintenance standards. It is obvious the owners do not have a bean. If they were able to save the €100 on the charge, they could carry out some maintenance on their homes.

Some houses are not serviced by their local authority. For example, water could be drawn from a well or sewage treatment may be provided through an on-site septic tank. In some instances, the local authority may not even provide the roadway to the house. While I accept a high number of homes are not affected by this, those that are should be exempted.

Houses in ghost estates will be exempt from the charge. There are places, however, where one half of an estate is not taken charge of and the other half is. What happens when the good half is at the back of the estate and one has to go through a wasteland of rag order roads and so forth to get to it? What about apartment blocks which are half occupied? These categories should also be exempted.

Those on rent supplement will not be exempted from the charge. Some providers of social housing, such as ALONE, recently changed their payment arrangements with their residents. Instead of the residents paying a differential rate, rent or contribution, they applied for rent allowance and now pay it to the social housing organisation. Will ALONE now have to pay €800 on household charges?

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