Local TD Robert Troy has said the latest survey from the Irish League of Credit Unions clearly shows the folly of the Government’s new property tax.
Deputy Troy said: “This survey is extremely worrying, particularly as it shows the number of working adults surviving on €50 or less after paying their bills each month jumped by 29,000 to 267,000 between October and December, and 61 per cent say they have €100 or less. Eight in 10 adults feel last month’s Budget is having a negative impact on their finances and over 40 per cent are worried about the property tax and PRSI changes. Eight in 10 adults also fear this year will be financially tougher for them than last year.
“With nearly half the population not able to pay bills each month and having to decide what bills to pay and what ones to delay it’s clear that families across the country cannot afford to pay the property tax. Some Fine Gael TDs seem to have only now woken up to the impact this tax is going to have. These deputies are of course correct that to tax the family home at this time is deeply unfair - but why did they support it?”
Deputy Troy says that property tax will hit struggling homeowners at a time when they can least afford it, and takes no account of people’s ability to pay.
“The most recent data shows over 135,000 residential mortgages are in arrears and the Government is not doing enough to address the crisis.
“At a time when thousands of families are suffering it is deeply cynical for Fine Gael backbenchers to be criticising the impact of legislation they forced through Dáil Éireann without even basic debate. They voted for it despite being warned by Fianna Fáil of the deeply unfair impact on homeowners, particularly in urban areas.”
