Michael Brennan: The timing of the property tax hike is a bid to limit any political fallout

The coalition is risking a backlash in overhauling the existing tax regime as the pandemic is still hurting households and house prices are rising

From November, the practice of the Revenue accepting homeowners’ own valuations at “face value” is going to be dropped. Picture: Getty Images

The government had the next election firmly in mind when it was designing the overhaul of the property tax system for 1.7 million households. Ever since the tax was introduced in 2013, successive administrations ducked making any changes, knowing that they risked a public backlash if property taxes were to move in line with rapidly rising property prices.

This time, Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Finance, has received the backing of cabinet to finally order ...