FF property tax campaign “a joke” says TD

A NORTHSIDE TD has branded Fianna Fáil’s property tax campaign

“a joke

?.

Fianna Fáil councillors on Dublin City Council met party leader Micheál Martin last week to launch a campaign against the introduction of a value-based property tax in 2013.

Dublin North TD Alan Farrell (FG) believes the campaign is nothing but a disingenuous political stunt.

“It is quite incredible that Fianna Fáil elected representatives can launch this campaign with a straight face,

? Deputy Farrell told Northside People.

“This is the same party that committed to a property tax in their revised Programme for Government in 2009.

“Fianna Fáil claims that it wants to engage in constructive opposition politics, and yet it comes out with cynical stunts like this.

“Will Fianna Fáil be encouraging people to break the law, and not pay the tax, once it is introduced?

?

Deputy Farrell added:

“We all realise that this is a very difficult time to be introducing any new tax. But unfortunately, due to the economic reality brought about by Fianna Fáil’s mismanagement of the country, we need to put our tax base on a more sustainable footing.

?

When the

“joke

? accusation was put to Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick (FF), she told Northside People:

“I would ask Alan Farrell if he thinks it’s fair to hit struggling families surviving on less than e100 disposable income at the end of every month with a value-based property tax.

“I would also ask him if he thinks it’s fair that elderly people on less than e200 a week should pay a value-based property tax. He can’t continue to hide behind Fianna Fáil.

?

Cllr Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fáil’s group leader on Dublin City Council, said it’s

“crazy

? to expect people who are in negative equity, have already paid stamp duty and are struggling to meet mortgage repayments, to pay further taxes on their home.

“This is the wrong tax at the wrong time,

? she declared.

“We want to give people an opportunity to voice their opposition to this unfair and unreasonable tax.

?

Cllr Fitzpatrick believes the addition of a value-based property tax will push struggling mortgage holders over the edge.

“The cost of that tax in Dublin would range from

?¬300 to over

?¬1,000, which is completely unaffordable,” she added.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he has been out on the doorsteps in Dublin and people are angry at an

“ever-growing list of broken promises from Fine Gael and Labour

?.

“They believe that they are not being listened to,

? he stated.