Ryan moots water, property taxes

THE Government may introduce taxes on real estate and water usage to help narrow the widest budget deficit in the euro region, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan said.

“You are not going to hit labour or corporation profits – that would threaten your economic model,” Mr Ryan said in an interview yesterday. Levies on real estate and water “don’t undermine the model and allow us to meet some of our deficit targets”.

Grappling with the worst recession in the state’s history, Ireland has cut state workers’ pay by an average 13%, raised sales taxes and introduced income levies.