Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Section 85 is intended to provide for a detailed exploration of the key issues in the implementation of a vacant property tax to be reported on within nine months of the passing of the Finance Bill. This period should allow sufficient time to collect and analyse the relevant information. Importantly, the report should be completed in time for consideration in advance of budget 2019. The aim of the section is to provide that a report on vacant home taxation will be published and publicly available within nine months of the enactment of the Finance Bill. Laying it before the Dáil will achieve that purpose. On that basis, I do not propose to support the recommendation. There is no intention on my part to be disrespectful to the Seanad. As I indicated, the objective of the text of the section is to provide for publication of the report within the nine months. Section 1 of the Finance Act 2010 provides a precedent in that regard, as it called on the Minister for Finance to lay before Dáil Éireann a report on tax expenditures. The objective of the report will be to report on the analysis made, but some have to understand that if the analysis states it is a good idea, we will be trying to influence people to make a vacant property available for either letting or sale. What a vacant home tax is not going to do is to put such a hideous price on it that people will be forced to do it because that would neither be reasonable nor fair. It would also not stand up to scrutiny.