SIPTU call to drop Household Tax welcomed
The call today by the country’s largest union , SIPTU, for a suspension of the Household Tax is very welcome.
The National Executive Council of SIPTU passed a unanimous motion calling on the Government to suspend the proposed Household Charge on the basis that it is unfair and regressive : “The Household Charge as currently proposed by the Government is a flat tax which is unfair and regressive in that it subsidises wealthy people at the expense of middle and low income families”
The union pointed to alternative tax sources such as the suspension of unused section 23 tax reliefs and accelerated capital allowances, as well as the restriction of landlord mortgage interest relief by 10%, which would bring in an estimated €175m.
CAHWT strongly welcomes this first clear statement from the trade union movement on this tax and calls now for other unions to follow suit, as a reflection of the massive opposition of their membership.
CAHWT does not believe the Household Tax should be suspended pending the introduction of a Property Tax, as such will inevitably hit low and middle income earners, who have seen their tax double and treble in recent years. We favour instead a wealth and assets tax on the super wealthy 5% who have estimated wealth/assets of €219 billion.
