Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Revenue Commissioners, who have been charged with collecting this tax, have informed me that if we legislate in the Finance Bill, it will be too late for them to make the arrangements they require to collect the tax so they have advised me that we should legislate before Christmas so they have certainty about the provisions of the Bill and can make the arrangements for the tax. That is the first point.

The second point is in reply to Deputy Donnelly who asked about amendments. I obviously cannot do it tonight but I am noting any interesting points made and we will come back and amend in the course of the Finance Bill. I am already considering amendments on the position of executors and whether they would be liable or not. I am considering the pyrite situation and have already made a commitment that owners of houses affected by pyrite will not have to pay the local property tax. The question there is the actual format of the amendment. I am also looking at the position of approved housing bodies because I received a number of representations. If people come up with good suggestions tonight, I will look at them again and we can adjust that in the Finance Bill and it kicks back in.

The main drive tonight is on the Title of the Bill. There were very strong objections to the fact that it is called the local property tax. I presume we all agree it is a tax so there are only two words in question -whether it is a property tax or local. It is a property tax because it is a tax on houses.

When I introduced excise increases I did so on tobacco and alcohol but not on hydrocarbons and it was still described as an excise tax. One does not have to do everything that is subject to a particular tax before it carries the title. Because all property is not included, the argument from the early speakers tonight was that it should not be called a property tax. This is a ridiculous proposition because it is property that is being taxed and it is quite valid to call it a property tax. Taxes which are very closely analogous to this tax throughout the European Union and the world are all described as property tax. The third word is "local". Is it local or not?

See this speech in context