jimmycrackcorm wrote: » Erica Fleming got her forever home by making decisions that many other single people don't do such as having a child before they are in a position to provide a home for that child. While not a scam, it's certainly an example of where the crisis is self made.
Wheeliebin30 wrote: » When you take into account nearly half of the social houses offered are turned down because its not bedside me ma or the bookies im sure our "homeless" figures would probably be halfed. Then the ones who deliberately go homeless to jump the list. Its a scam that doesn't exist if people were realistic about their expectations.
blanch152 wrote: » The people of Dublin West elected Leo Varadkar. Nothing shameful about pointing out that McVerry is unelected, has a vested interest in the subject, and may therefore be biased towards a certain view.
the lpt was about screwing over the have nots to help the haves. it is a tax many can't afford.
Idbatterim wrote: » right, is that the one set at .18 percent? thats the ones in more valuable homes? not given to them by the state, that will be paying in masses of income tax to subsidise all the "have nots"? we must have the most generous welfare system and least contribution of tax all round in the world from low paid workers. What exactly do they want. The cost of putting a roof over your head in dublin is outrageous, but they (government) should be tackling the cost of living, not further removing huge numbers of people contributing as good as nothing in income tax from the tax net...
You can be sure that the figures in other countries have gone up since 2015, not down.
the vast majority of people are paying tax in some form and are contributing. the LPT wasn't viable and just added another tax to those who couldn't afford to pay out any more money. ireland does indeed have a good welfare system but the amount on it is small and is getting smaller.
end of the road wrote: » the vast majority of people are paying tax in some form and are contributing. the LPT wasn't viable and just added another tax to those who couldn't afford to pay out any more money. ireland does indeed have a good wellfare system but the amount on it is small and is getting smaller.
blanch152 wrote: » Absolute rubbish. By being a tax on people who own houses, the LPT is a wealth tax. Those who are poor - cannot afford to own a house and are homeless or renting - don't pay the tax. Only those rich enough to afford a house pay the tax. Absolutely ridiculous that the so-called left-wing parties oppose it.
hatrickpatrick wrote: » What about people who bought a house when they could afford it, but no longer could due to changes in circumstances? .
hatrickpatrick wrote: » A home should be something that is paid for once it's paid for. The idea of having to pay an ongoing, never-ending levy because you own your home is ridiculous. Should people who bought a home when they could afford it and have since lost jobs, had children, etc simply lose their home if they can't afford this ongoing charge? A tax on one's home is like a mortgage that it's impossible to ever finish paying off. In my view it goes entirely against the principle of ownership of one's home. I'm not opposed to property tax, by the way - far from it. I just do not believe that it should apply to the property one lives in.
end of the road wrote: » it's not just a tax on those who own houses, but a tax on people who's houses are owned by the bank, for which they are paying back the bank for the loan they got to buy the house. this means people are paying an extra tax which they cannot afford, meaning they are in a number of cases, struggling to make those mortgage payments in full. a problem they may not have without having to pay this unjust tax.
blanch152 wrote: » They own part of an asset, which by definition makes them richer than the homeless or the renter. So should J.P.McManus pay no tax on his 80-bed mansion or whatever size it is? He already avoids tax by being domiciled abroad so you want to let him off the LPT as well.
blanch152 wrote: » They are all wealthier than those who are homeless or renting. Therefore they have more wealth. A tax is fair. LPT is infinitely more fair than income tax, capital gains tax is fairer than income tax and gift and inheritance tax are fairer than income tax.
FrancieBrady wrote: » A tax is 'fair' just because you perceive it can be paid?
blanch152 wrote: » Taxes that target stagnant wealth are fairer than taxes that target income. Such is the left-wing philosophy. You appear to favour the 1% who can avoid income tax and whose riches come from exploiting their inherited wealth.
FrancieBrady wrote: » So my house is 'stagnant wealth'? Why not come up with a specific tax to target the 1% instead of unfairly taxing everybody because you perceive them to have wealth?
Wombatman wrote: » To suggest that homelessness is down to an individuals bad behaviour over the years is absolutely disgraceful. Outrageous rents, an economic crash, mental illness, drug addiction, repossessions, abuse etc all lead to homelessness. It's down to the "bad behaviour" of bankers, property developers and the government more like. Fooking raging at that statement :mad::mad::mad: Fat cats gonna fat cat under Leo for sure.
JupiterKid wrote: » When Leo Varadkar assumed office of Taoiseach he did the obligatory lap of honour, with the international media fawning over his sexuality and mixed ethnicity, making out the Ireland was now such a modern, progressive society. He was photographed comparing socks (WTF??) with Canadian premier Justin Trudeau. But look at his record. As Minister for Health, he slashed the already paltry budget for mental health services, an utterly reprehensible act in my view. Irish mental health services are among the worst in the developed world and need more funding, not less. Look at the suicide rates amongst our young. Also, as a gay man myself I found it a bit disingenious that Varadkar chose to come out shortly before the same sex marriage referendum, which if you may not recall he originally opposed. But then again, our public health system is in a mess generally as a brief stint in A&E in a major Dublin hospital showed me. Very unwell people left on trolleys in corridors for hours, overworked nurses and doctors and taking 11 hours to be seen by a doctor over a heart complaint. Then there is Varadkar's statement on the housing crisis being over-exaggerated by charities and housing agencies. The pure gall of him to make such a flippant statement. Dublin has a serious housing emergency, a major social housing building programme would go a long way to solving that situation but no, the private market and the banking sector must prevail at all costs. I honestly can't see the situation changing one iota unless a general election takes place. IMO Leo is a neo-liberal Thatcherite who talks the talk, but can't walk the walk. He has zero interest in the most vulnerable in Irish society. Sadly, I don't see many votes in mental health issues or housing issues, except to ensure those in the know and with connections ensure their over-inflated dwellings continue to rise in price. It's a sad spectacle and IMO Leo is no supporter in social justice or equality, in any shape or form. The current minority FG govt are a lame duck. They seem to have no ability to tackle serious pressing social problems, particularly with housing and health. Where is the sense of vision? Where is the sense of doing things for the good of Irish society as a whole? I sure don't see it.
blanch152 wrote: » In a world context, you are the 1% Let's get real here, houses are property, property is wealth. Anyone who owns a house in Ireland, even on a mortgage, is rich by global standards. The homeless and the poor don't own houses, don't have property and aren't wealthy. You are rich, pay the LPT.
hatrickpatrick wrote: I've said this repeatedly and I'll keep saying it - until the government embarks on a social housing program on the scale of the Herbert Simms projects of the 1930s and the tenement clearances of later decades, I will regard them as choosing to preside over this crisis rather than attempting to fix it. Simple as that.
hatrickpatrick wrote: I'm not opposed to property tax, by the way - far from it. I just do not believe that it should apply to the property one lives in.
end of the road wrote: many of us are not rich. the lpt must be abolished. the only reason most people pay it is because revenue are involved. if they weren't, we wouldn't be paying it, i can assure you.
MayoSalmon wrote: » Yeah I think you can say that for most taxes. Taxation is theft and is taken by force and intimidation. Government will literally put you in prison if you don't pay. LPT is one of the fairest taxes we have in this country and taxes people's home according to its value. If you own a property especially in Ireland you have wealth and the government as always wants some of that wealth. The more wealth you have in your property the more you will pay and vice versa. It's a progressive tax and the fact the left don't like it just confirms their populist lunacy.
end of the road wrote: » i disagree, it's a regressive tax that takes money from people who cannot afford to pay. it doesn't just target the genuinely wealthy.
Wanderer78 wrote: » Thankfully our homeless problem isn't really that bad, compared to other countries!
