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"Levy Donegal's 23,000 second homes"
11.02.09
DONEGAL Sinn Féin has
accused the Government of "dragging its heels" on
the €200 levy for holiday and second homes. Senator
Pearse Doherty said the levy, if enforced, could
reap for the Donegal public coffers a possible
€4.6m.
But he said the legislation was only ‘expected’ to
be published sometime in 2009. “When it came to
dealing with underwriting the banks last year or the
recent nationalisation of Anglo Irish bank and the
forthcoming recapitalisation of AIB and Bank of
Ireland involving billions of euro and
massive risk to the Irish taxpayer, the Government
has been able to act with
great haste.
“Yet despite the €200 levy being introduced last
October in the Government’s Budget 2009 proposals,
they appear in no rush at all to progress the
necessary legislation to enact the levy which could
provide millions in much-needed income," he said.
Senator Doherty said that "when and if" the levy is
introduced, it must be retained by the respective
local authorities. "When we examine the figures, it
is clear that Donegal was the county that would
benefit the most from this levy given the high
levels of holiday
homes, rental property and second houses that we
have in this county."
He cited figures showing that Donegal currently has
8,275 holiday homes; 4,232 rental properties and
10,768 non-principal private residences. This was
the largest number in the State after the city
counties of Cork, Dublin and Galway.
"If the Council were allowed to keep this money it
would amount to €4,655,600 each year allowing the
Council to provide additional services, recruit
extra staff, and reduce the rate burden on our
struggling businesses in the county," he said. |
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