Dáil suspensions amid stormy scenes

There were stormy scenes in the Dáil with two suspensions of the House amid Opposition claims that property tax legislation was being guillotined to allow the Revenue Commissioners issue bills for the tax next week.

The Finance Local Property Tax Amendment Bill passed all stages last night after 2½ hours’ debate at committee stage and now goes to the Seanad.

The new legislation allows for a number of deferrals, exemptions and penalties for non-compliance. It provides for a deferral on property tax for those in an insolvency or debt arrangement, although they will have to pay the full amount plus interest once the insolvency arrangement is completed.

The Bill’s provisions also include exemptions from the tax for three years for homes affected by pyrite damage, where the market value of the property is effectively zero.

Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath described as a “disgrace” the way the Government had dealt with the Bill and said there were less than two hours to discuss 67 Opposition amendments on one of the most important pieces of legislation to go through the Oireachtas this term.

Parliamentary behaviour

He said the Finance Bill would be debated in a “considered and professional” way in committee over three days, and he asked “why can’t we apply the same levels of responsible parliamentary behaviour in dealing with this Bill, which affects every household”.

And he warned that adequate consideration had not been given to the issue of ability to pay and fairness. He said some amendments would make the tax fairer if implemented.

Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said “if you aren’t in a position to pay this and you’re not one of the ones who can get a deferral then the big guns in Dublin are coming after you”, whether through bank accounts, farm subsidies, social welfare or salaries.

He said the message from the Government was “come hell or high water we’re going to get our pound of flesh”.

The Donegal South West TD said that for many householders who were in negative equity or mortgage arrears, the property tax was a charge on a liability, on a debt and not on an asset.

United Left Alliance TD Clare Daly accused Government backbenchers who gave false promises of exemptions to people with pyrite-damaged homes.

Crocodile tears

They cried crocodile tears for people on low income, she claimed, because they then went on to pass a piece of legislation “that is more draconian than anything else on our statute books to allow you to go in and put your paws into the pockets of lowly paid workers”.

Richard Boyd Barrett accused the Government of bringing politics and the Oireachtas into further disrepute. Hope for conventional politics was “fast disappearing down the drain because of the utter deliberate, manipulative, smug cynicism that accompanies the way this Government has started to do business”.

Earlier his repeated refusal to sit down in a row over the Bill resulted in the House being suspended twice. He claimed the Government only guillotined legislation that was controversial and costly to the public.When a Bill had cross-party support and no opposition, debate was allowed to continue for days.

However, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the Dún Laoghaire TD had last week refused an extra two hours of debate on the issue.