Urban taxpayers subsidising rural homeowners could cause property tax backlash

The scale at which urban property taxpayers are subsidising rural ones could provoke a renewed backlash against the levy, Government TDs have warned.

Concern was raised when a survey showed that while Dublin was allocated €5.06 per person via the local government fund, and Cork (city and county) €7.38 per person, the figures per head for Monaghan and Leitrim were €169.43, and €260.47 respectively.

The survey, conducted by Dublin City Council’s finance department, has focused the spotlight back onto delays in implementing a Government pledge that 80% of property tax revenues would be used in the area in which they are collected.