THE DISAGREEMENT OVER the land tax is a “fake row” between the Green Party and their coalition partners, according to Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane.

Speaking to reporters at Leinster House today, he said the Residential Zoned Land Tax, is something the government has collectively “dragged their feet on”.

The 3% tax is targeted at lands which are zoned for residential development, and is intended to incentivise landowners to use existing planning permissions for housing or to have land developed for that purpose. 

The new tax was set to kick in in February, with bills coming due in May 2025. However, a row has broken out between the Green Party and its Government partners this week amid reports that its introduction could be deferred.

A number of Green Party TDs spoke out yesterday at being “blindsided” by the announcement that Finance Minister Jack Chambers could defer the tax for another year. 

Chambers said the reason for the deferral is to ensure active farmers are fully excluded from it, stating that the tax would disproportionately and unfairly out a burden on active farmers if this tax was to be imposed annually. 

However, the Greens said there is already an exemption for farmers who are working the land, whereby farmers can opt out and ask for their land to be dezoned 

Cullinane said today that Sinn Féin proposed an amendment to the bill when it was making its way through the Houses of the Oireachtas that would have dealt with the concerns of farmers, but claimed that the Government rejected it. 

He said now there is a “vague” row taking place between the Government parties, stating that all the parties have signed off on deferring this tax over the course of the number of year now.

The Waterford TD said this delay will be good news ot developers and to wealthy landowners.

“We have a housing crisis. My priority, and who I stand with, are people who need access to social and affordable homes,” he said, adding that Sinn Féin will be launching its housing policy next month. 

The government have made a “mess” of the situation, said Cullinane, who added that in his view, it is just another example of the government not being able to deal with the housing crisis and are instead ”passing the buck between themselves” and “not taking responsibility for this”.