Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator McDowell is becoming an election candidate already. If he wants to declare, he should just do so now, put the white flag up and go out of the traps altogether. Let us be fair. Do we want the Government to do everything? Where is our sense of responsibility at local level? Members of Dublin City Council voted to reduce property tax and there is a deficit. That €12 million would have filled the gap. There are issues raised with regard to the local property tax and Senator McDowell has a very strong view on it. The Minister has put the issue back to the committee, which will come back with a report in 2021. The 15% reduction means it went from €80 million to €68 million. Half a reduction would have provided the €6 million.