Head over to our T
Fianna Fail to Reform Stamp Duty
Read more about: Economy, Election Spending, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Government, Housing, Irish Election, Irish Politics, Labour Party, Manifesto, Manifesto Check, Progressive Democrats, Taxation 
Having spent so long giving out and setting himself against the Sunday Independent, Fine Gael, Labour and the PDs on this, it seems unlikely this was always in the plan for the manifesto. Some of the questions buzzing around my head on this this morning;
Where has all the principled opposition to auction politics gone? I actually supported Cowen’s position becuase I think Stamp Duty is more comlex and simple cuts could backfire.
What has changed since budget day when the Minister suggested that “In the current market situation, any stamp duty cuts would more likely than not be incorporated into the sale price and so end up in the pocket of the seller. This will not help first-time buyers purchasing new homes”? On Morning Ireland this morning, George Lee suggested that little has changed in this area and a cut will still lead to house price rises (unless that is the desired outcome)
Why was this not included in Fianna Fail’s Economic Policy document last week or yesterday?
Then there is the obvious concern that we are using one stamp duty issue to distract from another. Surely unfounded?
Finally, a novel idea from one of our main parties.
The ireland.com story says that they are even backdating the reforms to take effect on April 30th — and this after complaining that the other proposals were unsettling the housing market. Now the final stamp duty payable on transactions since then depends, in theory, on the outcome of the election.