The Labour Party's eight Dublin backbench TDs have added their weight to the argument for the abolition of the controversial Residential Property Tax (RPT).
However, they have stressed that the issue of service charges must also be addressed.
Deputies Pat Upton, Roisin Shortall, Derek McDowell Eamonn Walsh, Sean Kenny, Tommy Broughan, Sean Ryan and Joe Costello issued a joint statement yesterday calling for "a balanced approach" in discussions on the future of the RPT.
They denied weekend reports that the Labour Party was against abolishing the tax.
"We believe that the time has come to address this contentious and emotive issue once and for all. The Labour Party accepts that there is an anti Dublin bias inherent in RPT. Also, the RPT has not succeeded in either of its objectives - the containment of house prices and making major tax reform possible," the TDs said.
However, a balance must be struck in their approach to the issue, they added, and the question of the RPT could not be addressed in isolation. "Service charges are every bit, if not more, inequitable than RPT and impact more on lower income families. Any debate on the issue of RPT must recognise this and take place within this overall context," they added.
The Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, yesterday confirmed that no discussion on the RPT had taken place at Cabinet and that there were no proposals on either the RPT or local government funding.
On RTE Mr Quinn said there are no proposals before the Cabinet about abolishing the property tax. He said the Minister for Environment was conducting a study on the future financing of local authorities, but the conclusions were not yet before the Cabinet.
However, it is expected that the tax will be removed next year in association with a major overhaul of local government funding. The RPT brings in about £12 million annually but is viewed by parties in Leinster House as a political liability.
Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats have indicated their intention to abolish the levy if they get into government after the next general election.
The Minister of State for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Pat Rabbitte, also denounced the newspaper report alleging that Democratic Left and Labour vetoed Fine Gael plans to get rid of the property tax.