DONEGAL County Council
has received a total of just over €2m in the last
seven months from the tax on second homes. This
would suggest that the €200 tax was paid on roughly
10,100 non-principal private residences throughout
the county including Inishowen. Many of these 10,100
homes would be holiday homes owned by people in the
North while a proportion would be properties bought
as investments at the height of the boom, as well as
inherited houses. Contrary to speculation, the tax
was not increased in yesterday’s Budget.
Nationally, more than 1,400 people paid the €200
charge for more than 10 housing units each, while at
least 98,500 people paid for one unit each,
according to the figures seen by the Irish Times.
Donegal County Council was among the seven highest
recipients of the second home tax which included,
predictably Dublin City Council at nearly €9.5m;
Kerry at €2.6m and Wexford at €2.2m. Monaghan County
Council collected the least, at €322,560.
This year’s payment deadline was extended by a month
until the end of October, before a penalty of €20 a
month applied. But, much to the annoyance of second
home owners, next year's charge will have to be met
before June 30, 2010.
Most of the €200 payments were made through the
www.nppr.ie website
with the remainder processed by local authorities.
The main types of residential properties liable for
the charge are holiday homes, private rented and
vacant properties, except new but unsold residences. |
