Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to Deputy Bacik on her fantastic result in the recent by-election. It is a huge honour for her and her family. I look forward to working with her and her colleagues in the best interests of the constituency of Dublin Bay South.

Many homeowners are deferring payment of their local property tax because it is not affordable for them. This is worrying for homeowners who are struggling to pay, for example, a resident on Lombard Street East who is in her 80s and is a double leg amputee. She would pay if she had the money. Unfortunately, she does not. Her only income is her welfare payment. If this were a wealth tax, she would not have to worry about it because she is not wealthy, but she must pay the property tax or else defer its payment. Property tax does not take into account a family or individual's ability to pay. Property tax is dependent on property prices, not the amount of money a homeowner has. If someone was ripped off when buying a home, the Government will tax him or her more. That is what is happening in areas like Ringsend and across the inner city, where large tech companies are pushing up prices and ordinary working families must pay more because of Government policy. We in Sinn Féin have a positive alternative. We are in favour of a wealth tax as part of our progressive tax reform proposals.

This debate comes at a time when huge tech firms continue to escape proper taxation in Ireland, leaving a large hole in the Exchequer's finances that ordinary working families have to fill. It was recently highlighted that Google had moved more than €63 billion in profits out of Ireland using the controversial double Irish tax arrangement in 2019, which was the last year it could use the loophole. Ordinary homeowners like the elderly resident on Lombard Street East do not have loopholes of which they can take advantage. They just have to pay the property tax out of their pensions and get on with it.

Another bone of contention is the lack of services provided by the council. If residents are paying a property tax, they expect to see some services. Trees are not being cut back and maintained, roots are becoming dangerous, particularly for older people, and weeds and dirt on the street are not being cleaned up. Residents groups must deal with these problems themselves. They are happy to do so, but they are not getting the assistance they need.

I am not opposed to the property tax for the sake of it. I am opposed to the property tax because it is unfair.

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