Local Property Tax in County Cavan is to be retained at its current rate for the term of the current council.
As the rate came up for discussion at yesterday's County Council meeting, Sinn Féin councillor Damien Brady, suggested a 15 per cent reduction in the LPT.
The proposal was seconded by his two party colleagues but was defeated by 13 members from other political parties. 76 per cent of households in Cavan pay the lower rate of local property tax of €103.50 a year, which some pointed out amounted to about €1.13 per month. Higher rate homes pay €315 per year which works out at 86 cent a day. Sinn Féin's Stiofán Conaty said the council should "look to get it off central government not struggling families".
Director of Services, Linda McGavigan, pointed out that every penny raised by LPT in Cavan is retained "in its entirety" in the county and is spent on projects from walkways and playgrounds to the redevelopment of Kingscourt. LPT monies are also retained by councils to match-fund large-scale developments.
Fianna Fáil councillor John Paul Feeley said the council has "ambitious plans" for each electoral area and told councillors who want to decrease the rate to nominate which projects in their area will not be funded. Fine Gael's Carmel Brady said retaining the current rate is a "no brainer".
