Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I do not want him to take this personally but, effectively, that is a cut and paste exercise. I asked all of this last year and this response is identical to the reply I got then. I did not even have to read it. The final line sums it up. Rather than waste the Department's paper and print and our time, the essential point is that "the report on the review of the local property tax will be with the Minister shortly". We were told that six months ago. I have it in writing and I would be happy to send it to the Minister. That sentence concludes that the Minister "will then be in a position to make recommendations to Government". Notwithstanding that this report was completed last year, the Minister has not seen a copy. That is the message I am taking from the Minister of State's response and one I will circulate to local elected members around the country within the next hour. Despite not having seen this report, the Minister continues to trot out the line that this is a priority for him and the Government. He says he is not in a position to make any recommendations but he will consider the matter in due course and let us know.

The Minister of State is an excellent Minister who is always willing to come to this House to explain matters. Sometimes he is put in the difficult position of having to read into the record replies that he does not necessarily buy into. I respect and understand that. I ask him to convey to the Department that it is urgent that we have clarity on this. Time and again we have been told by Government Ministers that they want clarity on this. They can bring clarity to the issue of the local property tax. I would be very keen to hear it sooner rather than later, as would Fine Gael Party county councillors who are knocking on doors seeking to be re-elected.