Taoiseach defends 38,000-home drop in property-tax exemptions
The Taoiseach has defended the inclusion of thousands of homes in ghost estates on the property tax eligibility list.
Just over 5,000 homes in unfinished estates will be exempt from the tax, down from 43,000 which were exempt from last year's household charge.
Of the 1,770 unfinished housing developments around the country, residents in only 421 will not have to pay the new fee.
Many ghost estate residents say the new list published by the Department of the Environment earlier this week is unfair.
Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes spokesman Michael O'Brien said: "The Government is saying that 38,000 houses that were in ghost estates last year are all of a sudden in estates that are complete, which I think will come as a shock to people who are directly affected."
But speaking on the campaign trail in Meath East, Enda Kenny said the updated property tax list was "more realistic and accurate" than previously.
"Entire estates were removed for the household charge, (but) that doesn't apply now," he said.
