Sir, – Ronan Quinlan (February 4th) asks if Eamon Gilmore has forgotten that the Labour Party introduced the tax that it now says it will try to reduce if party candidates are elected in sufficient numbers at the local elections.
Indeed, one must wonder at Mr Gilmore’s poor memory in respect of his position on this tax. In 2010 he said, “it would be perverse to ask people to pay a property tax on a property on which they are paying a mortgage and the size of the mortgage in many cases is more than what the value of the property is worth”.
In the Labour Party 2011 general election manifesto it promised that a property tax would not be introduced until 2014 because it would take time to ensure it was structured in a fair and efficient manner and they spoke of the need to take account of those who paid large sums in stamp duty or who are in negative equity.
The Labour Party can hardly blame its broken promises on the need to compromise with Fine Gael. That party’s manifesto said, “an annual, recurring residential property tax on the family home is unfair” and said it wouldn’t introduce one at all.
When the promises start coming in the months ahead, let’s hope voters have better memories than the politicians. – Yours, etc,
PAUL CARROLL,
The Cloisters,
Clane, Co Kildare.