Labour calls on all progressive parties on Dublin City Council to unite on approach to Local Property Tax
Labour Councillor Darragh Moriarty has said the Labour Group on Dublin City Council will only consider supporting a governing alliance that is willing to adopt a progressive approach in relation to the Local Property Tax (LPT).
The Labour Party, along with the Social Democrats and the Greens, on Dublin City Council have argued against maintaining tax cuts for wealthy property owners through the LPT. Since 2015, this policy has gifted away over €125m that could have been invested in services across the city.
Councillor Moriarty said:
“It is disappointing to see that the proposals on the table from the ‘progressive alliance’ do not include any change in the status quo to the Local Property Tax, which was vetoed by Sinn Féin in negotiations. We have consistently voted over the last ten years in support of increasing funding to services in Dublin City through Local Property tax, which due to repeated decreases, at present offers a minimum tax cut of over €1,000 to owners of properties valued at €1.2m and above. It is disheartening to see the Social Democrats now aligning themselves with the populist rhetoric of Sinn Féin, abandoning their own principles in the process.
“The Labour Party has always been committed to working collectively with parties that share our values. Our commitment to cooperative governance is unwavering, with those who align with our core principles of fairness and social justice. The proposed alliance we’re accused of walking away from doesn’t have the numbers for a majority. It also wants to maintain the status quo of gifting away millions in tax cuts through the Local Property Tax.
“In this new council term, we have a golden opportunity to reverse this position. People talk about “change” all the time, but change means actually making tough decisions and prioritising progressive politics over securing positions on the Council. Over the course of the next council term, just by maintaining the LPT at its baseline instead of cutting it by 15% again, we can secure an additional €72.5 million to put into Dublin.
“These funds are not just numbers on a spreadsheet; they translate into real, tangible improvements for Dubliners. They could be used for investing in our capital city’s infrastructure, including parks, pitches, public realm improvements, cleaner streets and other facilities that both Labour and the Social Democrats campaigned on during the election. It is imperative that we adhere to our campaign promises and invest in the public services our city needs.
“We in Labour call on anybody who identifies as “progressive” to stick with their principles and to ensure that Dublin’s future is built on a foundation of fairness and progress.”