David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let us get on with it. Of course it is good that the Government is freezing the LPT but it is a disgrace that it is there in the first place. If Sinn Féin keeps to what it has said and if it includes in its election manifesto abolition of the property tax and water charges, it will do pretty well. It will do a hell of a lot better than people imagine because there is an appetite for the abolition of these taxes given they are grossly unfair.We are always hearing about people's right to a home and all the rest of it but it is not much use if they are blistered with taxation when they get into such homes. I have no problem paying for services. I pay bin taxes and water charges but we are now paying for everything. We are paying for water and bin collection, which used to be provided by the councils, and we are paying for the roads through motor tax. In other words, we are paying for everything. This is not acknowledged and we are paying again through the property tax.

I am a proud Laois man, as was James Fintan Lalor who supported the three Fs of fair rent, fixity of tenure and free sale. I wonder what he would think of this tax on people. It is not even a rational tax because it is subject to the arbitrary fluctuations of the market. How fair is that? It is not fair at all because it does not relate to ability to pay or the initial cost and, most perniciously of all, it takes into account improvements that people make. It is an example of rack-renting on the part of the Government. If one dares to improve one's house, the value goes up and one is fined for it by the Government. It is a disgusting and appalling situation.

The Minister of State said the local property tax was introduced in 2012 to provide a stable funding base for the local authority sector. Can he tell me whether, in any year since 2012, the majority of revenue generated has gone to local authorities?