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The Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Property tax is being hiked in Dublin - if you own a house here's how much you'll pay next year
HOMEOWNERS IN DUBLIN will pay a higher rate of property tax next year as a result of a vote being held this evening by Dublin City Council. Councillors are expected to vote to remove a 15% discount on the tax for the first time in over a decade. The council's ruling group, comprising Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Labour and the Green Party, agreed after last year's local elections to apply the baseline rate with no discount this year for the first time. The Local Property Tax (LPT) was introduced in 2013 – at the behest of the Troika - and councillors have the power to reduce or increase it by 15% either side of the baseline level; they has consistently voted to keep a reduced rate in recent years. Dublin City Council management has long argued that the vast majority of homeowners would not be hit with substantial additional charges if councillors agreed to reduce the discount applied. According to the council, the decision to lift the discount now is expected to bring in up to €16.4m in extra funding for the city, which will be allocated to areas such as improving the council's housing stock, tackling dereliction and improving footpaths. The cost of property tax is based on the value of a person's home. Dublin City Council said 75% of eligible households will see an increase of between €18 and €83 per year in their property tax as a result of the vote passing, with the remaining 25% set to pay €523 or higher annually. For example, those with a home worth between €240,001 and €315,000 will pay €235 from next year, an annual increase of €43.75. Advertisement Homeowners with a property valued between €420,001 and €525,000 will pay €428 in property tax, an increase of €83.75. Figures released last month revealed that the average price of a second-hand home in Dublin is now €600,047 . Anyone who owns a home worth that amount will see their property tax rise to €523 a year. Houses worth between €1,050,001 and €1,155,000 will have a property tax charge of €998 , up €194.75 annually. For anyone with a house valued at between €1,995,001 and €2,100,000 , annual property tax will cost €3,110 . You can find a full list of the property bands and how much each will pay here . 'The additional revenue raised by ending the LPT tax cut will go towards improving every aspect of Dublin, from the quality of the footpaths and roads, to the quality of the homes that people are living in,' Green Party group leader Janet Horner said. 'No one should be living in damp, mouldy or cold conditions in our Council housing and the revenue we are raising here takes a meaningful step to end that injustice,' the north inner city councillor said. Fine Gael group leader Colm O'Rourke said communities across Dublin have consistently and repeatedly called for improvements in a range of local services, 'and it's time those calls were properly answered'. 'These aren't minor issues, they go to the heart of safety, accessibility and local pride. This investment is about listening to residents and delivering meaningful improvements that strengthen communities right across the city,' the Cabra-Glasnevin councillor said. Property tax for 2026 is owed on 1 November. The government changed property tax bands earlier this year to moderate the increase in the amount of tax payable as a result of increasing house prices. A possible left-leaning ruling coalition on Dublin City council last year including Sinn Féin fell apart over the question of property tax . Sinn Féin wanted to continue to apply the 15% property tax discount. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Construction of long-awaited water activity centre completed with formal opening in September
The authority said the 'Quayside Project', as it is known, is a flagship initiative for the city, with a state-of-the-art Council Water Sports Centre and a new Docklands office as part of the development. In the coming weeks, the new facilities will undergo final commissioning and fit-out works, and are expected to open to the public shortly afterwards. Water sports such as kayaking and paddleboarding will be offered by the centre. It will be operated under a three-year pilot by Swan Leisure, a company owned by DCC who also runs Rathmines Swimming Pool. This not-for-profit arrangement aims to 'boost participation' in water sports like kayaking, rowing, and stand-up paddleboarding, while promoting community engagement and increasing accessibility for Dubliners. Dublin City Council will retain ownership of the facility, with Swan Leisure managing day-to-day operations, staffing, and programming. On top of the two main structures completed, the Quayside Project includes extended pontoons for improved access along the waterfront, two timber-framed structures supporting the Jeanie Johnston visitor attraction and the water sports centre, and an enhanced public realm with an extended boardwalk. DCC said the changes would 'transform the Docklands into a dynamic hub of activity,' and encourage greater public engagement with the River Liffey. It added that the project represented a 'major achievement' in urban development, and paid tribute to councillors who committed to the scheme. "Their unwavering support has been instrumental in bringing this transformative project to life,' it said. ADVERTISEMENT On the nearby George's Dock site, where a controversial white-water rafting facility was earmarked but then retracted, Green Party councillor Janet Horner previously said the council was exploring a different direction for the site. 'The main thing at the moment is that the dock needs conservation works, whatever goes in there will require that first,' she said at the time. Dublin City Council is now looking at international models for open-air swimming facilities, such as lidos in cities like Helsinki for George's Dock. The current development plan sets out that any redevelopment at George's Dock must include a water-based activity, with a Lido the preferred option.
Irish Times
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Nine e-scooters seized as gardaí use new safety technology in Dublin
Gardaí have begun trialling new safety devices that can measure the speed of e-scooters and e-bikes. The portable devices, called mobile dynamometers, can determine the maximum speed that the vehicles are capable of. New laws governing the use of e-scooters were introduced in May 2024 and include limiting their maximum speed to 20km/h. They must also meet lighting and braking standards. The use of such vehicles by those under the age of 16 was also banned. READ MORE Any e-scooters that do not comply with these requirements can be seized by gardaí and a fixed charge notice can be issued to the user. In a post on X, the Garda said checks were carried out using the new dynamometer technology in Dublin on Thursday. Nine e-scooters were seized for a range of offences, including speeding and exceeding the maximum rated power output. [ E-scooters perceived as most dangerous form of transport in Ireland, report finds Opens in new window ] Fine Gael councillor for Dublin's north inner city Ray McAdam welcomed the new technology. 'We see e-scooters and similar machines travelling at speeds much greater than 20km/h across our city streets'. 'Those that ride those machines, I believe, are at risk because of the speeds they travel at, but they're also a huge risk to other road users and other pedestrians in the city centre'. Janet Horner, a Green Party councillor in the same district, said that while the speed enforcement is generally positive, 'it will also exasperate some road safety campaigners who have been calling for more enforcement on cars and other vehicles in the city. 'There is widespread and blatant flouting of the current speed limits around the city by all vehicles and we urgently need more enforcement mechanisms, including speed cameras, red light cameras and more visible traffic policing.'
Irish Independent
15-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘It's a chance for Dubliners to experience the city from a different perspective'
The €18m centre on Custom House Quay will replace a vacant 1980s-era building owned by Dublin City Council, which is being demolished to make way for two new structures. The centre will be operated under a three-year pilot programme by Swan Leisure, a company owned by Dublin City Council which also runs Rathmines Swimming Pool. This not-for-profit arrangement aims to 'boost participation' in water sports like kayaking, rowing, and stand-up paddleboarding, while promoting community engagement and increasing accessibility for Dubliners. Dublin City Council will retain ownership of the facility, with Swan Leisure managing day-to-day operations, staffing, and programming. Green Party councillor Janet Horner said the centre marks a key moment in efforts to 'animate' the Liffey and open it up for everyday use. 'We've been pushing for a long time for more animation of the Liffey, and seeing more engagement, whether it's people kayaking, swimming, paddleboarding, whatever it might be,' she said. 'It's been really hard going. There's not a lot of access points on the Liffey, not a lot of pontoons that allow people to get down and actually use it.' 'There'll be a few activities happening over the summer, but it'll probably be a while before it's fully up and operational. 'We probably won't be able to kayak from there this summer, but hopefully very soon.' She described the project as a 'key part' of treating the Liffey as a city amenity, giving people a new way to experience the capital. Cllr Horner said her own experience of kayaking along the river was 'eye-opening'. 'As a Dubliner who's lived here almost my whole life, I had never actually been on the Liffey before,' she said. 'I'd crossed over it almost every day, but never actually been on it, and I'd imagine that's the case for a huge majority of Dubliners. 'It was really eye-opening, the first time I was in a boat on the Liffey, just how huge it is, what a fantastic amenity it is, and how overlooked it is in terms of how we engage with the city,' she added. Asked about the future of George's Dock, previously earmarked for a controversial white-water rafting facility, Ms Horner confirmed the council is now exploring a different direction. 'The main thing at the moment is that the dock needs conservation works, whatever goes in there will require that first,' she said. Dublin City Council is now looking at international models for open-air swimming facilities, such as lidos in cities like Helsinki. 'We were talking about a Lido a couple of years ago, and the council hadn't moved on it at all,' she said. 'We really pushed it a couple of months ago and it is back on the agenda now. 'There's a project team overseeing it. They're in the process of trying to develop something, but it's yet to get to any kind of viable business case or concept,' she added. The current development plan sets out that any redevelopment at George's Dock must include a water-based activity, with a Lido the preferred option.
