Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

In our area, people are already being crucified in many cases but they will be absolutely nailed to the wall if anything even approaching the increase in property values is translated into an increase in property tax. The point about this tax is that it does not take into account ability to pay. Even with the existing tax, there are 46,000 people who have been forced to defer because their income is not sufficient to pay the tax. That will jump through the roof. Already, there is a cohort of people who just cannot pay. Why is the Minister imposing a tax on people who just cannot pay? The pension, social welfare payment or low income of someone on social welfare or a pensioner who happens to own their house in an area like Dún Laoghaire or south Dublin will not be any greater because they live in an area with high property values. What is the Minister going to do to recognise that fundamental injustice?

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