KEEPING YOUR EAR to the ground in the world of property can be tricky. That’s why each week, we round up some of the most important news stories on topics like real estate, property tax, construction and more.

From a proposed €400 tax for owners of two homes to a planning row in Cork, here are some of the hot property stories that got people talking this week.

1. Green light for €600m bypass around Galway city

Source: Rollingnews.ie

The proposal to construct a circular bypass around Galway city has been approved by the Government. Initial plans were proposed in 1999 but the project has been held up numerous times.

Galway County Council is set to submit proposals to An Bord Pleanála for the bypass, after the approval was announced earlier this week.

2. Sinn Féin proposes €400 second-home tax

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty and Mary Lou McDonald. Source: Rollingnews.ie

Sinn Féin has proposed a second home tax of €400 (bringing in €68m) in an alternative budget plan which is due to be announced this week. 

The party’s document, A New Ireland, proposes over €2 billion worth of tax increases, including a 5% income levy on incomes over €140,000 and a restored 13.5% VAT rate for the hotel sector.

3. New Department of Health HQ was empty for over a year

Source: Google Maps

A new headquarters for the Department of Health was not used for 17 months – but the rent paid on it over that period by the OPW added up to €15.8m. That’s according to a new report from the Comptroller and Auditor General on the 2017 financial year, which found that there were a number of issues over the accommodation at Miesian Plaza. 

4. Cork hotel told to revise proposal  

The Evening Echo reports that the developers of a new hotel located on Parnell Place in Cork city have been told to change up their plans. Dublin-based Tetrarch Capital is seeking permission from the council to create a 165-bedroom hotel.

5. Irish Water to write to 140,000 ‘at risk’ homes and businesses

Source: Shutterstock/sonsam

Irish Water is to contact 140,000 homes and businesses  to update them on the quality of their water supply over the coming weeks. These homes and business are on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Remedial Action List (RAL) which lists ‘at risk’ water supplies where drinking water quality isn’t as good as it could be.