Sinn Féin in government will repeal the Family Home Tax – Brady

Sinn Féin in government will repeal the Family Home Tax – Brady

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady has welcomed the Sinn
Fein bill to repeal the Family Home Tax that was introduced to the
Dail this week and said his party is committed to repealing the tax if
in government after the next general election.

Speaking after the launch of the Financial Local Property Tax Repeal
Bill Councillor Brady said:

“This bill is a key part of Sinn Fein’s alternative to austerity for
lower and middle income families. These families have borne the brunt
of austerity budget after austerity budget under Fianna Fáil and Fine
Gael/Labour.  They need a break.

“This tax was signed off on by Fianna Fáil and has been taken up by
the Fine Gael and Labour. There are a wide range of alternatives as
Sinn Féin has consistently pointed out.

“The method of collection of this new tax is brutal. Those who are
accepted as being unable to pay face a 4% penalty next year while
those who can’t pay but are not recognised as being unable to pay face
a 8% penalty. The government will raid salaries, social welfare
payments and pensions to extract this tax on the family home.

“We know the reality that one in four mortgages are in distress yet
these same households who may be in negative equity and have paid
stamp duty now face this extra tax. That is blatantly unfair.

“We saw in last week’s list of exempted ghost estates just how few
exemptions will be tolerated.

“Sinn Féin in government will repeal this tax. Our bill would refund
the tax paid by citizens for the year in which it is scrapped.

“This bill which has been introduced on the floor of the Dáil this
week and will be debated during our Private Members’ Time at the
earliest opportunity.

“We will continue to campaign across the state to win support for this bill.”