Inishowen County Councillor calls for government 'U-turn' on Residential Zoned Land Tax

The controversial new tax, which is scheduled to come into force from next February, has met with strong opposition from farming organisations who have described it as “a land grab and revenue-generating instrument’.

According to Councillor Crossan, the tax, which is being introduced as part of the government’s Housing for All plan to 2030, has generated a ‘huge backlash’ in rural communities.

“This is one of the most controversial issues that I have dealt with in my 29 years as a councillor, it is an unfair and an unjust tax on our farming communities,” concluded Colr. Crossan.

The government says the RZLT is ‘is a new tax aimed at increasing housing supply by activating zoned, serviced residential development lands (including mixed-use lands) for housing. It also aims to incentivise landowners to use existing planning permissions for housing’.

The tax is being introduced as part of Housing for All, the government's housing plan to 2030.