THE poor response to the Living City tax relief scheme in Limerick has been described as deeply disappointing with local Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea claiming it was indicative of how the scheme was designed.
The scheme offers an income tax deduction for expenditure on the refurbishment or conversion of a building for use as a dwelling. The building must be built before 1915 and located in one of the designated areas in the city.
The residential tax relief over a ten year period is only available to owner/occupiers and is not on offer to landlords.
According to Deputy O’Dea there were only 33 applications from residential property owners in the first full year that the scheme has been in operation with not even a single application received from Limerick.
In relation to residential works, he called for consideration to be given to removing the requirement for the building to have been originally built for use as a dwelling prior to 1915.
by Alan Jacques
