FG, FF, Labour and Independents vote 15% Family Home Tax increase

 

Sinn Féin Councillor and general election candidate Conor D. McGuinness has sharply criticised Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, the Labour Party and the majority of Waterford’s independent councillors for raising the Local Property Tax by the maximum increase possible.

Councillors from the Council’s controlling pact, which includes Labour, Independents, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, voted to increase the LPT by 15% and against a Sinn Féin counter proposal to decrease the charge on the family home by 10%.

Speaking following the vote Councillor McGuinness said:

“Households across Waterford are under significant pressure, yet the government parties and their independent and Labour colleagues have decided to heap more hardship on them by voting for the maximum increase to the family home tax, and to lock the increase in for five years.

“I made a counter proposal that in light of the cost-of-living crisis and uncertainty facing mortgage holders that a decrease of 10% would be in order. One by one Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and the majority of independent councillors voted down this proposal.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have spent the last two months talking about a give-away budget. Not only has their budget failed to tackle any of the serious issues around health, housing or public services – but now they are determined to give with one hand and take away with the other.

“The behaviour of many of the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independent councillors in the meeting demonstrated their contempt for the ordinary people that will be forced to deal with this tax hike. No amount of lies, spin or name-calling will change the fact that these politicians have voted to heap more hardship on families and workers across Waterford – in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and as Government sits on a huge pot of Apple tax that they tried desperately not to collect.”

ENDS

Note: Independent Cllrs Declan Clune, Declan Barry, Blaise Hannigan, Joe Kelly and Joe Conway are part of the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour Party pact and voted for the 15% increase.

Independent Cllrs Donal Barry, David Daniels and Joe O’Riordan voted for the Sinn Féin proposal to reduce the tax by 10%.