The National Executive Council of SIPTU has called on the Government to suspend the proposed Household Charge and cut tax reliefs for property owners and landlords instead.
SIPTU is The Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union – and it has around 200,000 members.
SIPTU say the Household Charge is a flat tax which is unfair because it subsidises wealthy people at the expense of middle and low income families.
SIPTU also say they do support the principle of a fair and progressive property tax which is proportionate and which recognises that wealthy households can afford to pay more than those with modest earnings while those on lower incomes should be exempt.
SIPTU propose that the loss of the expected €160 million revenue from the Household Tax could be recovered by the immediate suspension of all unused section 23 tax reliefs and accelerated capital allowances . (They estimate that could save €100m in tax relief in 2012 .)
SIPTU also suggest the restriction of landlord mortgage interest relief for both residential and non-residential properties by 10% – down to 65%. They say this would bring in an estimated €75 million.
Read more about the Household Charge