Dublin City Council has voted by a narrow majority to pass its budget after a protest vote by some parties about rent increases for council homes.
The budget passed by 31 votes to 30 after Sinn Féin, People Before Profit, the Social Democrats and a number of Independents voted against it in protest at the rent hikes which come into effect next year.
People Before Profit Solidarity group leader Cllr Conor Reddy proposed an amendment to the budget which would introduce an almost 15% increase in commercial rates instead of the hiking rents for Council homes.
He said the proposal would include a rebate system which would see 97.5% of businesses in the capital who pay less than €5000 in rates to pay the same, similar to schemes he says exits in Dún Laoghaire and Limerick and it would also generate extra funding for traveller accommodation maintenance, housing support and planning enforcement on short term lets.
However, the amendment was defeated after a heated debate about the rent rises dominated the special budget meeting.
A protest was held at Dublin City Hall this evening against the council’s plan to increase rents for council homes.