Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct about the trajectory that Dublin City Council has taken. It has forgone almost €12.3 million by decreasing the local property tax. Timing is an issue for the Revenue Commissioners. It needs advance notice to inform citizens what the rate will be, hence the budgetary meeting has to be in September to adjudicate on the rate. I was in the Seanad earlier. We discussed a particular county which has increased its local property tax for the last three years and brought in significant income. It is now accessing huge capital funds from central Government because it has the priming finance to do so. I call on people to be responsible when looking at their budgetary processes. They should look at what they can gain. We have €165 billion to put into public infrastructure in the next decade. That funding is there to be accessed. Local authorities have to come up with their share of it. By increasing the local property tax, they can access significant capital funds, which will improve the lives of citizens and communities right across Dublin City Council, if it chooses to do so.

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