Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The local property tax is important for supporting this economy and allowing our country to emerge from the current recession. The previous Government took the easy option of hiding the property tax under the carpet. It did not have the courage to introduce the tax because it knew it would be crippled in election. The people saw what happened in the dark, however, and they made the decision to put the country in the hands of a Government which is willing to make the hard decisions to turn the country around.

The system of levying tax according to the value of a property is a fairer and easier way of collecting local taxes. This is the norm in other parts of the world, including in Northern Ireland and Great Britain, where people pay property taxes in return for services. The payment arrangements are fair and there will be a choice of payment by instalments, from pensions or through social welfare. It is preferable to operate a system in which people can contribute by instalments rather than require them to make a one-off payment.

It is also fair that, in respect of the household charge, the Revenue Commissioners will have the opportunity to bring some of that money back into the country's coffers. People who paid it in the past were annoyed that many others did not get to pay it. Deputy Mattie McGrath told us to speak to our constituents. I speak to my constituents all the time. I am not asleep on this issue. People believe it is their duty to the State to pay taxes. They do not want anything for nothing and they certainly do not want a handout.

The Deputies opposite who encourage people not to pay this tax should remember they are the beneficiaries of State expenditure. Election to this House brings responsibilities and requires courage. Several years ago the campaign of opposition to council waste charges created chaos in our communities, brought on the privatisation of waste collection and left people with huge outstanding bills. Deputy Joan Collins stated that she would stand with the people. She did not stand with them when they could not pay the arrears on their bills. They came to my office to ask me to intervene with the local authority to relieve them of their arrears. If she is going to stand with the people this time, she will have a huge bill on her hands once she finishes. It is hypocritical that Members refuse to acknowledge the bigger picture of the future for our children and grandchildren. It is time Deputies stopped sending negative messages to communities in which people are willing to pay charges. At every public meeting it is the same round-up of cowboys and indians.

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