People Before Profit has strongly condemned the 2025 South Dublin County Council budget, describing it as “more of the same” and a missed opportunity to address the pressing needs of local residents. The budget, passed by all councillors except for People Before Profit representatives, failed to include meaningful measures to combat housing disrepair and address climate action in council housing. Councillor Madeleine Johansson, supported by Councillors Darragh Adelaide, Kay Keane and Jess Spear, had proposed an amendment to increase spending on local authority housing maintenance and retrofitting while introducing a rate rebate scheme for small businesses, funded by a modest increase in rates for large corporations. This progressive proposal was rejected by the Council majority.
“Our amendment was a common-sense approach to addressing the chronic issues in South Dublin,” said Cllr. Madeleine Johansson. “It would have increased spending by €50 million on urgently needed repairs and maintenance for council housing as well as an expanded retrofitting programme to tackle energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Small and medium businesses, the backbone of our community, would have received targeted relief through a rebate scheme that ensured fairness and encouraged local enterprise. Instead, the Council has chosen to maintain the status quo, leaving vital needs unmet while prioritizing corporate profits over community welfare.”
People Before Profit’s proposal included a 50% increase in the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) for businesses, generating an additional €76.5 million in revenue. €26.5 million would have been ringfenced to ensure the increase would only be paid by rate payers over €50 000. This targeted approach ensured that the financial burden was placed on major corporations, not on small enterprises or residents. “The refusal to even consider our amendment shows a lack of vision and a failure to prioritize the needs of ordinary people,” Johansson added. “This budget does nothing to address the housing crisis or the cost-of-living pressures faced by council tenants. People Before Profit will continue to fight for a fairer, more equitable approach to local government funding.”
