Proposed Property Tax Relief Bill To Be Debated In The Dáil

Fianna Fáil has said that it will use its time this week in the Dáil to debate its proposed Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2018, which was introduced in the Dáil last June.

The Bill provides homeowners who are already paying management fees with a reduction in their Property Tax bill worth a third of the fee, up to a maximum of €300 per year.

Commenting ahead of the debate which will take place this evening, the party's Housing Spokesperson, Darragh O'Brien TD said, "The Local Property Tax, which came into effect in 2013, was intended to fund services in residential developments such as maintaining public lighting, roads and paths and/or grounds keeping.


"There are more than 200,000 apartments and tens of thousands of other homes nationwide whose owners all fork out management fees to service the property. In the six or so years since the introduction of the tax, it has transpired that these management fees are also going towards the same services as LPT, which means some homeowners have been liable for paying twice for the same services.

"We believe that this should be acknowledged by the State and to that end we propose a partial reduction in the LPT that equates to one third of the management fee, one third of the local property tax, or €300, whichever is the lower amount. Under our proposed legislation, no one will benefit from more than €300.

"We remain committed to ensuring there is no increase in the Local Property Tax and that a fairer, more equitable system is put in place when the review of current rate is finalised and its report published in the coming weeks," he concluded.