Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Dessie Ellis TD slammed plans to apply the new family home tax to local authority and voluntary housing which could see higher rents for struggling tenants.
Deputy Ellis continued:
“The plan to apply this unfair tax on houses in the social housing system makes no sense and is completely counterproductive.
“Social housing was cut in the budget as were supports which many tenants rely on. It has been a terrible budget for the poorest in our society and now many will face a rent increase with no return.
“Local authorities who were meant to gain from the tax will have to pay around €25 million. This makes no sense and will weaken local authorities and voluntary housing bodies and hurt their tenants.
“This is an unfair tax plan to begin with but it is an outrage that the government have not exempted social housing.
“Sinn Féin proposed a progressive wealth tax which would have avoided this problem. We will continue to fight the home tax for a genuine tax on wealth”