Gilmore says Labour will cut local property tax

The Labour Party will promise voters in large urban areas a 15 per cent cut in property tax as part of its local elections manifesto, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore confirmed today.

Mr Gilmore said that in large urban areas where property values were high people were paying higher property tax than in rural areas and there was scope for a reduction.

He said the legislation governing the property tax allowed local authorities to vary the charge by 15 per cent and Labour would be proposing that it should come down in large urban areas.

Speaking on RTÉ radio's This Week programme he said Labour would be telling voters in large urban areas that property tax would be reduced in councils where it was the leading party.

The proposal ties in with an earlier commitment by Mr Gilmore to do something for “hard pressed families” as soon as circumstances permitted.

Mr Gilmore also said that the full implications of the Louise O’Keeffe judgment would be discussed by the cabinet on Tuesday.

He said that the issue of whether a redress scheme would be established to deal with other victims of abuse in schools would be considered.