Why we need to raise the property tax

Using property tax to fund social and affordable housing is not a radical idea: it is done elsewhere as a matter of course

The Social Housing Bill of 2016 is at committee stage in the Dail. It proposes that when building homes, a minimum of 25 per cent of them would be social and affordable housing through what’s known as ‘part five’ (Part V) of the 2000 planning act.

The government cannot block the bill because it isn’t appropriating public money (which is covered by Dáil standing order s179(2)). This is being hailed in Sinn Féin ...