Property tax hits right across the board

A 2% pension levy, hikes in stealth taxes – for every €1,000 you spend, about €210 of it is tax, pure and simple.

Now the Government wants to punish the people who helped make the good times possible by buying houses. It is hitting them all with an annual €200 property tax – right across the board, without regard to the value of their home and whether or not they derive any income from it.

Why don’t they just pay my wages directly into the exchequer and take what they want. They could generously permit me a small allowance for a few of life’s simpler luxuries. And if they want to take a spin down this way I can fling what’s left of my small change at them, if they want that too.