Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I do not like to disagree with Senator Byrne, for the sake of disagreement because it all has been far too harmonious, the local property tax changes this structure as local authorities now receive a revenue base from residences within their county or authority area. County and city councillors have a decision to make on whether they wish to keep all of it at the same national rate or to vary it downwards or upwards by anything between 0% and 15% and then they get to make decisions.

A great many people in many parties ran in elections because they wished to have an impact on their communities. While I acknowledge it has been difficult for people to pay, the local property tax now provides local authorities with the ability to make decisions. This decision was made in my native county of Wicklow, which would have been approximately €3 million better off with the property tax this year. However, the county councillors took a decision, which I believe to have been the correct decision, to reduce the property tax rate by 15% and the council will now be only approximately €800,000 better off. Nevertheless, they are still better off. The point I am making is they had decisions to make.