Funding local government

Sir, – In attempting to defend the Fine Gael position on local property tax, my good friend Cllr Paddy McCartan (Letters, June 1st) omits one simple but pertinent fact. Fine Gael has held the post of Minister for Finance since 2011 and the Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government for nearly nine years since 2011.

Are we to take it that Fine Gael on Dublin City Council is waiting for another party to reform the local property tax before it will take its responsibilities seriously? – Yours, etc,

Cllr DERMOT

LACEY,

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Donnybrook,

Dublin 4.

Sir, – You report the Taoiseach Micheál Martin as saying "recalibration" of the LPT "will be fair and will be affordable" ("Property tax reforms will increase many homeowners' bills", News, June 2nd).

While it is obvious that the meaning of the word “fair” has lost all meaning within the ranks of the governing class long ago, on the question of being “affordable”, can the Taoiseach come back and explain why he thinks the “deferral” option remains available? – Yours, etc,

JIM O’SULLIVAN,

Rathedmond,

Sligo.