Chambers: Property tax must fund local services

Chambers Ireland has said that, while the most effective property tax collection mechanism must be employed, the funds raised must be "earmarked exclusively to fund local services".

Seán Murphy, Chambers Ireland Deputy Chief Executive, said: "Chambers Ireland has long supported the introduction of local charges for local services based on the user and polluter pays principle.

"If reports indicating that the Government plans to hand over responsibility for collection to the Revenue Commissioners are true, then the Government must assure all stakeholders that all monies collected will be diverted back to local authorities for their exclusive use in paying for the delivery of local services.

"We fully support Government efforts to find the right mechanism to collect this tax when it is fully established, however the tax must be ring-fenced for local use and not retained by Central Government," Murphy concluded.