Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have to beat the same drum as my colleagues, and particularly Deputy Ryan, because like him I represent a developing county. That means we have much greater need of financial input into local authorities. I represent a county that has consistently received the least per capitashare from the Local Government Fund. I think €500,000 was the figure for last year. Dubliners are paying much more local property tax than people in rural areas. I appreciate, however, that the figures for County Kildare and the Minister of State's area of County Louth would be a bit higher than other rural areas.

The fact that we in Dublin are paying so much more in property tax should not lead to a discriminatory situation whereby we lose out on grants. As my colleagues have said, we urgently need money, particularly for housing and to combat homelessness. In my own county, 50 people are waiting for emergency accommodation. Most of them are living in hotels, so we cannot afford to lose out on central government grants. I therefore urge the Minister of State to look after our needs in that regard and not punish us because our people are paying more in property tax than others. There are other ways to address disparities in collecting local property tax, which could be considered if that path is to be examined.

See this speech in context