Sheehan motion on property tax defeated

A motion calling for the Local Property Tax (LPT) to be based on a household’s ability to pay was defeated.

Cllr Michael Sheehan brought the motion saying that LPT should reflect a household’s outgoings and expenses (including mortgage payments) and should be conducted in a way that increases, not reduces, the level of central funding to local authorities annually.

Cllr Sheehan was told that he supported the increase in LPT imposed on householders last year as a way for the local authority to increase its income and borrow over €40m for capital projects in the county.

Cllr Ger Carthy said: ‘It’s as strange a motion as I have ever seen since I’ve been here. I wish you well with it but I won’t be supporting it.’

Cllr Johnny Mythen said: ‘Sinn Fein had raised the issues of the L,P.T. tax since its inception, as being an regressive tax which does not take into account the ability to pay. To hear Fianna Fáil Cllr Sheehan raise this issue in a motion is, as I said, “a little late in the debate to be growing a false conscience”.’

Cllr Malcolm Byrne said local government funding has needed reform for some time, adding that everyone wants the services but noone wants to pay for them.‘I would think it would be an administrative nightmare, self assessing.’

Chairman Cllr John Hegarty asked if LPT would increase if a household’s income increased.

The motion was defeated.