Sir, – In your editorial of April 4th, you criticise the Government for deferring an increase in local property tax (LPT) for a further year, claiming that this was motivated by upcoming elections ("The Irish Times view on the local property tax: a cowardly deferral").
I think this criticism is not quite warranted. Dublin property prices have rocketed since 2013 and have vastly outstripped household incomes. The IMF confirmed this in an independent report this week.
LPT tax should not be synchronised with such house price inflation. Why should existing house owners be punished when property inflation is largely caused by housing shortages arising from poor spatial planning and failed Government housing policies? If the Government has decided not to increase LPT, I would call it fair, if not prudent. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD COFFEY,
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Terenure,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – Perhaps the local property tax should be confined to those who are not labouring under punishing mortgage repayments. – Yours, etc,
JUDITH COLLINS,
Dublin 12.