Taoiseach slaps down Sherlock over criticism

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has slapped down Labour minister Sean Sherlock for branding the Government’s handling of property tax exemptions a “mess”.

Mr Kenny said he disagreed with the junior science minister in comments seen as confirming Coalition tensions over the issue. Mr Sherlock expressed Labour anger that Environment Minister Phil Hogan had travelled to Brussels last week and left the junior Government party to explain why the number of ghost estates entitled to exemptions had been dramatically reduced.

Labour ministers Jan O’Sullivan and Pat Rabbitte were left to defend the move to protect just 421 of the 1,770 unfinished housing estates from the tax in Mr Hogan’s absence.