Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin has submitted amendments and I hope we will have time to debate them. It will be a travesty if we do not. I hope the Government will respond and say that it will amend the Bill to ensure that exemptions will include people suffering as a result of the floods. Mention was made of exemptions from the tax for people whose homes have been affected by pyrite but only 80 people have benefited from that exemption. Only 5% of those people whose homes are affected have benefited so far and the paperwork required to deal with gaining recognition of their pyrite problem has almost cost more than what has been gained through the exemption.

I am disappointed the Minister has not sought to provide a similar exemption for those affected by the mica block issue in Donegal or for the people in Longboat Quay or in Riverwalk Court in County Meath. Many people live in accommodation which is not fit for purpose and does not comply with safety regulations, yet the Government is blind to that in respect of this tax. These resident are left outside the scope of the exemptions and are forced to make declarations on their own behalf. It is unfair to place the legal pressure on their shoulders.

This is, unfortunately, a failed tax and no level of spin can change that. The Government is coming to the table for two reasons: to admit the value of a home does not equate to the tax one pays and to put a cap on it because there is an election around the corner and Government party Deputies are under considerable pressure.

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