Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

They are facilitating it. However, they can crank up their influence and their currency with this current Government. We know we will have local elections in 2019. I can tell the House here and now that local property tax will be one of the biggest issues facing the electorate in June 2019. If Fianna Fáil does not make an issue of it, somebody else will. I certainly will be doing so. I look forward to being out either canvassing or campaigning in some way in that election. It is one of two or three issues that I feel strongly about. We need to address it. I get a feeling that Fine Gael and the Government will address the local property tax because they are pragmatists, or they would want to be if they want to survive in the forthcoming local elections, which are just a year away.

It is important that we address the issue and that we have fairness in the system. We should be under no illusion that it is a big issue that is exercising the minds of people when they are out and about. Councils contribute to local communities and facilities. Many people were sold this big deal that they were going to have swimming pools, libraries and other services but it did not happen. I believe we need to link it in to the services that are provided locally, and with full accountability. We have to seek, as part of any local government review, better value and accountability for services, and greater transparency in the funding of local government and how that money is spent by local councils. I support empowering councillors and giving more powers to local government. While I do not hear too many people talk about it in central government, I am in favour of devolving more powers to local government. With that, however, there has to be funding from the Government. If people see a system where they can have some sort of a contribution, I believe they would be interested in supporting it.

I thank Fianna Fáil. I support 99% of what it is saying in this regard and I think it is right. We need to be honest and we need to pull away from the current system of local property tax. It is not the right way to do business. If Revenue was not collecting it, half of it would never have been collected. We need to look at this. It is part of a bigger reform package for local government and how we fund local services.