Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The amendments being produced today by the Minister for Finance will be available to the Deputy at 1.30 p.m. All of the amendments involve concessions in respect of the property tax. The good lady mentioned by the Deputy will be able to defer her property charge based on the income figures mentioned. It is a case of very clear guidelines being laid out. There are changes in respect of social housing, on the issue of charitable organisations owning property and for those hard-pressed householders who purchased homes afflicted by pyrite. These are changes the Minister has recognised need to be made in order to have it as fair as possible. The Deputy is also aware that the vast proportion of the property tax collected will be spent in local areas in providing local services for local people. In that sense, the Bill and the amendments to be made available at 1.30 p.m. today are nothing but exemptions and concessions that the Minister has recognised are necessary.

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