Tag Archives: property tax

YOUR local council will be taking more of your money, as your representatives have opted to increase property tax in Clare by the maximum amount possible. On Monday, councillors increased the property tax by 15%, meaning they will extract the greatest amount of money possible from Clare householders. Have no doubt, the hit you face would be even greater but it was not legally possible to charge more. Bizarrely, some of those advocating raising the tax said that they were in favour of doing so, as the money collected would be spent in this county. As if the money being demanded from Clare householders was going to be sent elsewhere otherwise; as if the decision will not leave Clare consumers with less to spend in their local villages and towns. Perhaps the most irritating thing about Monday’s decision to increase the property tax is the detached attitude displayed. Only an idiot would disagree with Councillor Ann Norton when she said …

HOUSEHOLDS in Clare will be paying more in Local Property Tax for next year than they have in the past two years. Members of Clare County Council have voted not to reduce the tax as they have done in previous years, meaning a 15% increase for households. The decision to collect the property tax at the full rate will result in €1.5 million in income for the local authority. Clare County Council CEO Pat Dowling commented that the people of County Clare will see “clear evidence” of the added value generated by the decision not to reduce the tax. Over a third of all properties in Clare, 36.5%, are in the lowest valuation band for the tax, with a 15% change resulting in an increase in their tax by €13.50 per year, or 26c a week. The next two valuation bands account for over a half of all properties with the change impacting these bands by €33.75 per year or …

CLARE  county councillors have voted to slash the Local Property Tax (LPT) by 15% following a special meeting of theb local authority on Friday morning. An alliance of Fianna Fáil councillors and some members of the so-called Technical Group ensured the maximum reduction will be passed on to property owners in Clare next January after it was passed by 17 votes to ten. The reduction, which prompted some heated exchanges during the meeting, was supported by 11 Fianna Fáil councillors, Sinn Féin Councillor Mike McKee as well as Independents Gerry Flynn, James Breen, Ann Norton, Michael Begley and P J Ryan. Two members of the Technical Group – long serving Independent councillor Christy Curtin and Ian Lynch broke ranks by opting to oppose the cut with eight Fine Gael councillors. The council’s chief executive, Tom Coughlan told councillors in a report on the “Local Property Tax Local Adjustment Factor” a sum of €1.56 million would be available for additional services …

Clare Fianna Fáil councillors are up in arms over the distribution of the Local Property Tax (LPT), following claims that €5.6 million will be used to “bail out” other “inefficient” local authorities. Councillors have criticised the transfer of over €2m from Clare County Council’s 2015 LPT allocation of €10.406m to the national equalisation fund, which, in turn, will be distributed to local authorities who don’t have a high yield from this tax. The council was urged by Councillor Cathal Crowe to consider taking a legal challenge against the proposed redistribution of another €3.597m, to self-fund local housing and roads services, at a meeting this week. Councillor Crowe felt it was important the council took a stand if the Government continue to implement its proposed “unfair distribution”, which he claimed penalises the council for being “the best in the class”, while other authorities had adopted a more “casual approach”. The political row over where the proceeds of the LPT will be …

CLARE County Councillors have deferred a decision on a contentious proposed 15% cut on property tax for householders in the county until later this month, following legal advice. Fianna Fáil Councillors Tom McNamara and Richard Nagle proposed the council should take a decision to implement this cut at a meeting on Monday evening to give a much needed break to Clare people who are being crippled by austerity tax hikes. However, chief executive officer, Tom Coughlan informed members the authority had obtained legal advice that it couldn’t take a decision at the meeting. Councillor James Breen (Ind) asked Mr Coughlan if councillors decided at the meeting to vary the rate of property tax, would he implement this decision. Mr Coughlan replied he had a legal duty to implement any decision taken by councillors, once it was taken in accordance with the law. However, he stressed he couldn’t implement any decision taken at last Monday’s meeting because it wouldn’t meet legal …

CLARE County Council has advised property owners to avoid additional penalties of up to €3,010 per property by regularising their NPPR liability before the end of the month. Introduced as part of the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, the annual NPPR charge applies to each year during the period from 2009 to 2013. In order to maximise compliance and encourage payment of outstanding NPPR charge arrears, section 74 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 provides for a period, from March 2 to August 31, during which time no new late payment penalties will be applied to existing NPPR liabilities. A council spokesperson urged that anyone in doubt regarding their obligations should make immediate contact with them as the punitive penalties will be automatically applied from September 1. The council also confirmed that Local Property Tax data provided by the Revenue Commissioners is being used to identify non compliant property owners. The spokesperson stressed that it is in these owners interests …

THE first chairman of the new West Clare Municipal Authority is seeking at least 33% of Clare County Council’s budget to be spent in the west and north of the county. Councillor PJ Kelly was elected chairman of the body at last Friday’s AGM, attended by all eight of the recently elected county councillors, who serve in the enlarged West Clare constituency. The meeting also decided to restrict to six the number of the public who can attend the bi-monthly meetings, while senior engineer, Cyril Feeney, acknowledged the council is facing challenges in adequately staffing the district, which stretches from Loop Head to Ballyvaughan. Councillor Kelly produced figures which he said proved Clare County Council collected millions of euro in rates from West Clare. “The county council takes in €36.2m in rates. Ennis takes in €5.4m and Kilrush €0.7m. That comes to a grand county-wide figure of approximately €42m. One establishment in West Clare, ESB Moneypoint, pays €13m. That is …