Property tax will be wasted funding Irish Water

Because of the consultants’ fees of €50m, the local property tax, which was supposed to fund local authorities, now will have to capitalise Irish Water.

No doubt this essential public resource will be sold off to a private consortium. Local authorities will now be strapped for cash for essential repairs and maintenance of infrastructure.

The cost of an independent building inspectorate per the average house in the UK is €370 (£300). This is largely self-funding and a minimal cost to the UK taxpayer. Given the 7,500 houses completed in Ireland in 2013, the €50m spent on consultants would fund 18 years of inspections by local authorities. That’s independent building-control inspections for every house in Ireland, for free, for nearly two decades. I wonder which is better value? The recent calls by construction industry stakeholders for postponement and amendment of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations SI80 appear badly timed.

Major stakeholder and consumer groups say the industry is not ready and have called for a comprehensive system of local authority (or licensed) inspectors similar to that in the UK: independent inspection and regulation of all buildings for consumer protection. The Government says there is a lack of funds — but this does not appear to be the case, however.

Mel Reynolds

Sandycove

Co Dublin