Minister’s Announcement shows LPT up as ‘Farce’ – Cllr McCarthy

Sinn Féin have claimed that the Minister for the Environment’s announcement regarding the equalisation fund for Local Authorities is proof that the LPT was set up on a false pretense.

Speaking recently, following Minister Alan Kelly’s announcement that Councils kept in the vicinity of 80% of the Tax, with the remainder being transferred from larger and urban Councils to smaller Councils, Cllr Kieran McCarthy has said that this approach is ultimately a sleight of hand.

“From the very outset Sinn Fein were of the view that the Property Tax was a farce, and an attempt to fool the public. The Government propaganda would have had us believing that the Property Tax would lead to a significant improvement in Local Funding, with pictures of playgrounds and parks and so on in the literature.”

“We stated at the time that we knew it would be collected centrally, and directed away from our totally underfunded Local Government system. That proved to be the case, and millions of Euro supposedly raised for Local Services were used to establish the monster that is Irish Water.”

“Now as we approach the first year that Local Authorities will see some of these funds, we see this elaborate system of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and seeking to set large Councils, and Urban Councils, against smaller and more Rural Councils.”

“The reality is that the Government is trying to force Local Authorities to choose between giving ordinary citizens a break, with a badly needed Property Tax reduction, and improving totally underfunded services. Doing both will be nigh on impossible.”

“The Minister has stated that no Council will be worse off than in 2014, but this is a truly preposterous claim, given 2014 was a new low for many Local Authorities in funding. Many counties have seen their funding drop by almost 50% from 2011 to 2014. Services are at an all time low, and Central Government is to blame for the huge reduction in funding. It cannot now wash its hands and expect that this historic underfunding will be resolved by transferring funds between Councils. It’s an illusion. Local Government will be no better funded that it was before.”

“This system clearly underlines the illogical nature of the entire Property Tax. It is an unjust tax which takes no account of ability to pay. Sinn Féin remains committed to the abolition of the Property Tax, and its reduction in any Local Authorities where possible. A break from Austerity needs to be a priority.”