Politicians vote in a 10% increase in property tax for Kildare homeowners

Property owners in County Kildare face a 10% hike in the amount of local property tax they will have to pay when their next bills arrive.

This follows a decision by the majority of councillors elected in June to impose a 10% hike which will pay for services provided through Kildare County Council.

There was a similar increase last year and a 10% rise has been approved annually for a number of years now.

It is expected that the tax will add €2.7m to the coffers of KCC in addition to the revenue it raises itself and the money provided by central government.

The raise was proposed by Fianna Fáil and it was supported by the Fine Gael councillors - though the Social Democrats councillors and some independents opposed the raise.

Cllr Aidan Farrelly, the SD general election candidate in Kildare North, said more funding from central government is needed instead of a rise and he said more should be done to inform the public about what the property tax is spent on.

But Fine Gael’s Fintan Brett described the SD stance as “electioneering” and he said the tax has “worked wonders” for areas across County Kildare, adding that playgrounds have opened and improvements have been made to rural roads and footpaths, for example, as a result.

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