Daylight robbery: Portugal set to levy tax on sunshine

In Portugal they call it ‘um ruobo’ or ‘daylight robbery’ and it is little wonder, as the government is proposing to tax something the country has in abundance — sunshine. 

The amount of exposure to the sun and beautiful views are the focus of a new council tax which authorities in Portugal say is aimed at making the country more “socially just”.

It is already about as popular as water charges in Ireland. While we do not enjoy almost endless sunshine, the Portuguese tax is akin to a window tax introduced here and in England 300 years ago, inspiring the term ‘daylight robbery’.