Shanowen resident calls for return of Local Property Tax

Cork County Council has been issued with a letter regarding the ongoing situation in Shanowen housing estate in Rathcormac and are being called upon to return property taxes to homeowners within the estate.

The letter, penned by Stephen McCarthy of Shanowen Action Group, states that residents of Shanowen have sought help regarding the estate since as far back as 2012 and have written several complaints to the council over the years regarding ongoing issues with the developer of the site.

“A complaint was sent into your offices in 2017 about the lack of roads, street lighting and the opening up of green areas. It was 2019 before Cork County Council wrote a written warning to the developer to sort it out,” the letter reads.

Noting that four houses remain to be finished on-site, the letter states that ‘not one screw or nail or one brick was used in the last five months’.

Cork County Council were criticised within the letter for their alleged ‘failings’ with regards to the housing estate which has yet to be taken-in-charge.

Speaking with The Avondhu, Mr McCarthy stated that local TD Seán Sherlock has been assisting residents in Shanowen since they first sought help in 2013, while TD David Stanton has recently come on board to offer support and advice. Cllr William O’Leary has also done a lot to help with their plight.

Pointing to the Local Property Tax, Mr McCarthy states in the letter that residents had been paying the tax since its introduction in 2013, yet continue to have issues within the estate that they believe should be rectified via the tax fund.

“It seems that the government has been more than happy to take our money/taxes even though our estate of nearly 200 homes has not been taken-in-charge by the council. So how is it lawful for the council to collect this money?” the letter reads.

Green areas within the estate are now overgrown and Mr McCarthy noted that residents had requested funding from the council in order to get the grass cut, however, such funding has not transpired.

‘IS THIS UNREASONABLE?’

The letter notes that Local Property Tax allocations paid from the Local Government Fund help fund essential local services such as public parks, libraries, open spaces and leisure amenities; planning and development; fire and emergency services; maintenance and cleaning of streets and street lighting – all benefitting citizens directly.

The letter requests that all taxes collected to date be returned to the homeowners who have paid their taxes since 2013. If the tax is not returned, an explanation will be requested by the residents group.

“As far as the residents of Shanowen are concerned there are no longer any hiding places. Full transparency and disclosure will be sought.

“Residents have been living next to or overlooking a building site since 2008! All we want is what we paid for, a house within an estate with lighting, roads, greens for the kids to play on and a walkway along the river. Is this unreasonable?” the letter queries.