Property tax letters to go out

The Revenue Commissioners will begin an information campaign next week as letters go out to some 1.6 million householders about the property tax to be introduced from July.

The letters will include an estimated value for the property and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said the Revenue campaign would inform householders about the steps involved in making a declaration.

It would also deal with how householders can deal with letters sent in error or in duplicate "because up to now or recently there hasn't been a full data base of properties that are owned in the State".

He said there would be a period of time where householders could contact the Revenue if they believed the estimate was wrong and make a declaration about the value of their property.

Mr Gilmore was responding to Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald who had asked him to confirm that if householders did not comply with the property tax, it would be taken from bank accounts, social welfare payments, salaries or credit union accounts. "How on earth can you justify a situation where the Government through the Revenue Commissioners, will put their hands into the pockets of people who are struggling, will deduct this tax from a social welfare payment, a job seekers allowance or an old age pension?" she asked.

She said the tax "championed and proposed by Fianna Fáil" and now being implemented by Labour and Fine Gael, was a draconian piece of legislation which "takes no account of people's ability to pay and will drive people into debt and some into poverty".

Mr Gilmore said he was sure Sinn Féin, like every other party, would encourage people to be tax compliant. He said "the powers available to the Revenue Commissioners where a tax is not paid are well known and the question is whether you support those or not".

Ms McDonald hit out at the "sniggers" from the Government benches as "smart alec rhetoric" and said the issue was not about being tax compliant. "There are a vast number of people who simply cannot afford this tax," she said.

The Dublin Central TD told the Tánaiste: "Don't try and lay this on the Revenue Commissioners. The legislation rushed through this House by Labour and Fine Gael will allow this family tax to be taken from social welfare payments, from peoples wages, from their bank accounts and from peoples credit union accounts."

Mr Gilmore said this tax was a much smaller tax than the property tax Sinn Féin had "no difficulty with," north of the Border and he said Sinn Féin's "hypocrisy has no boundaries".

He said it seemed to be fine for Ms McDonald to "lash any political charge". However, t when one replies in kind "there seems to be a problem with that," he added.

He reiterated the Revenue's campaign to issue letters with a property value estimate and there would be a period of time where householders could engage with the Revenue if they disagreed with the estimate. He asked if Sinn Féin was supporting the campaign against the tax or if the party would encourage people to be tax compliant.