Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty has launched a bill to repeal the Family Home Tax and committed his party to repeal the tax if in government after the next general election.
Speaking at the launch of the Financial Local Property Tax Repeal Bill Deputy Doherty said: “This bill is a key part of Sinn Fein’s alternative to austerity for lower and middle income families. These families have borne the brunt of austerity budget after austerity budget under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael/Labour. They need a break.
“This tax was signed off on by Fianna Fáil and has been taken up by the Fine Gael and Labour. There are a wide range of alternatives as Sinn Féin has consistently pointed out.
“The method of collection of this new tax is brutal. Those who are accepted as being unable to pay face a 4% penalty next year while those who can’t pay but are not recognised as being unable to pay face a 8% penalty. The government will raid salaries, social welfare payments and pensions to extract this tax on the family home.
“We know the reality that one in four mortgages are in distress yet these same households who may be in negative equity and have paid stamp duty now face this extra tax. That is blatantly unfair.
“We saw in last week’s list of exempted ghost estates just how few exemptions will be tolerated.
“Sinn Féin in government will repeal this tax. Our bill would refund the tax paid by citizens for the year in which it is scrapped.
“This bill will be introduced on the floor of the Dáil tomorrow and will be debated during our Private Members’ Time at the earliest opportunity.
“We will continue to campaign across the state to win support for this bill.”
