Meath's homeowners could face 15% hike in property tax

Paul Murphy
Meath's 68,300 property owners could be facing a 15% increase in local property tax if a proposal by the county's Chief Executive Officer gets through the County Council.
The hike could mean stiff rises in a number of property bands - value €150-200,000 (€47.25 increase), value €200-250,000 (€60.75 increase), value €250-300,000 (€74.25 increase), value €300-350,000 (€87.25 increase), value €350-400,000 (€101.25 increase), value €400-450,000 (€114.75 increase). Properties valued at €950,000 to €1,000,000 would have to pay an increase of €263.25 under CEO Jackie Maguire's proposals.

The proposal is already attracting flak. Independent Cllr Nick Killian called on all 40 councillors to reject the CEO's proposal. He said that in her document setting out an explanation for the 15% rise, the CEO said that an expected deficit for 2019 would be cleared by a 15% increase in LPT. Cllr Killian said, "This is once again being obviously supported by Department of Environment officials and Minister Eoghan Murphy as a sly and sneaky way of bringing about a backdoor increase in the LPT for 2019. To quote Maggie Thatcher, it's No, No, No."

Sinn Fein Cllr Darren O'Rourke said, "Taxpayers in Meath pay the same general taxes as people in every other part of the country. In terms of Property Tax we pay well above the state average (and this is set to increase greatly in the coming months). Despite this, we receive the lowest council funding per head of population anywhere in the country. The idea that the council’s solution is to try to heap even more of the burden onto hard-pressed taxpayers in the county is perverse. Sinn Féin will oppose it."

The issue will come before the monthly meeting of Meath Council this Monday (today).