Ireland will tax derelict properties to encourage repair
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In Ireland, property owners will pay a 7% tax on derelict buildings if they do not repair them, as the government seeks to address urban decay across the country.
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris plans to confirm the new Derelict Property Tax this week. Local authorities will create lists of derelict buildings starting in January, sending them to the Revenue Commissioners, who will collect the tax.
The tax will first apply to 107 cities and towns with populations over 4,000, then expand to 64 more towns with populations of 2,000 or more. Property owners will have until June 2028 to fix the buildings or pay the tax, with the first payments due then. The government hopes the tax will motivate owners to renovate properties, while opposition politicians note the rate matches an existing, criticized levy.
Local authorities will also set up an appeals process for owners who disagree with the designation of their property as derelict. The tax is part of a larger Finance Bill containing 79 sections and 237 pages of taxation measures.
