Pensioner confronts minister over property tax

A disabled pensioner who opposes paying the property tax yesterday confronted Labour party housing minister Jan O’Sullivan with a message to “keep your hands off my pension”.

Brian Hinchy, 58, who has a chronic back disorder, said that the Government is stopping him “having my day in court” to argue against paying the property tax.

The tax on his home in Garryowen, Limerick, will automatically be taken from his pension by Revenue, which will also take a second property tax payment from the bank account of one of Mr Hinchy’s sons, who lives in an attached flat.

The father of two and former toolmaker with Molex, Shannon, survives on a widower’s pension and a work pension totalling just over €16,000 per year.

Mr Hinchy, who has converted his 1959-built, two-bedroom bungalow to a four-bedroom house said, he is providing his son and his wife and their two children with rent-free accommodation and makes no financial gain from the arrangement.

He was supported by a small gathering of anti-austerity campaigners after he posted an invitation to back the protest via Facebook.

Mr Hinchy confronted Ms O’Sullivan as she walked into her clinic at the Track Bar, Garryowen.

Ms O’Sullivan hit back, describing the protest outside the pub as “unfair.”

“I don’t mind you raising the issue or protesting outside my constituency offices, but its unfair to do it here,” she told Mr Hinchy. “There is a facility within the property tax, that you can defer the payment, if you can’t afford to pay it.”

Responding directly to Mr Hinchy’s claim that he was being denied his right to contest the property charge in court, Ms O’Sullivan said: “There’s a separation of powers between the courts and the legislature.”

Speaking to reporters, she added: “Maybe he should ask the minister for finance.” She would not be drawn on whether the property tax system was unfair, saying: “I’m not responsible for the detail of the legislation.”

Ms O’Sullivan avoided answering questions on whether she agreed with Revenue’s methodology of automatically removing money from people’s pensions and bank accounts to pay for the property tax. “That’s an issue for the Department of Finance,” she said.

Mr Hinchy said he got no satisfaction from a later meeting with Ms O’Sullivan, where he aired his anger and concern.