Is Property Tax Value For Money? Episode 434

In this episode, we tackle a question that affects almost every homeowner in Ireland: Is property tax giving us value for money?

Dublin City Councillors are preparing to scrap a long-standing 15% discount on Local Property Tax for 2026—the first time this has happened in over a decade. Combined with government-led revaluations reflecting Ireland’s soaring house prices, some homeowners could see their annual bills rise by hundreds of euros.

For example, owners of a €450,000 home will now pay around €428 a year, while those with properties worth €1.2 million face an annual charge of €1,094. Yet, by European standards, Labour’s Darragh Moriarty argues that Ireland’s property taxes are still relatively modest—and crucially, they help fund local services like waste collection, libraries, street maintenance, and parks.

But is this extra cost justified? That’s what we asked our listeners—and the responses were mixed:

🔊 One caller praised property tax as a fair way to fund essential local services, saying they’d rather pay a little extra than see services cut or rely on income taxes alone.

🔊 Another listener was far less convinced, saying their bins are still overflowing, potholes go unrepaired, and they see little evidence that their tax money is improving their neighbourhood.

🔊 A third viewpoint raised a broader question: Should we even tax homes at all, given that many people are already stretched by mortgages, energy bills, and other rising living costs?

So what do you think—are we paying a fair share to maintain our communities, or is property tax another financial burden without enough return?