Hogan tight-lipped on property tax rates

on 23/10/2012 15:04:33

The Environment Minister Phil Hogan is refusing to say if local authorities will be given powers to set rates for the property tax.

Mr Hogan has told the Dáil he believes local representatives will only be concerned about the way money is spent, when they have a role in revenue raising.

However, he insisted the Thornhill Report on property tax will advise the Government on reaching decisions.

Minister Hogan said nothing on property taxes will be revealed before budget day.

He said: "Fianna Fáil were jumping up and down when some of the budgetary details went out in February 1995, when I resigned because some details went out of my office, information that went out prematurely.

"A lot of information has gone out since and nobody has resigned, so I am not going to fall into the situation of actually detailing to you or anyone else in this house in advance of the Minister for Finance making his Budget statement. What is contained in the Budget is in the Budget and what will form part of that is the Thornhill Report."