Donegal County Council will write to Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris requesting changes to the population criteria for the Government’s incoming Derelict and Vacant Property Tax.
The motion, brought forward by Cllr Declan Meehan, supports the principle of the new tax to combat widespread dereliction across Donegal, but warns that smaller rural communities risk being left behind.
Under current plans, the tax will initially apply to towns with a minimum population of 4,000 before eventually lowering to 2,000. However, Cllr Meehan argued that dereliction is not exclusive to large urban centers.
He also voiced frustration with the local authority’s approach to enforcing penalties against owners of derelict properties.
Highlighting the urgent need to include smaller areas, Cllr Meehan pointed to his home electoral area of Milford as a prime example:
