Louth to receive €11.97m in 2026 Local Property Tax Allocation

Louth County Council is to receive an €11,966,198 Local Property Tax (LPT) allocation from central government as part of a €744m national package announced by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD today.

The announcement detailed a €42m increase in the Local Property Tax (LPT) ‘baseline funding’ to Local Authorities.

Local Property Tax ‘baselines’ are a significant indicator of the funding available to each local authority. Where a local authority’s local property tax yield is lower than the baseline, their authority is ‘topped-up’ by the exchequer to the set baseline. 

Under today’s proposals by Minister Browne, each local authority’s baseline funding will be increased in line with yield expected in their area.

In addition, due to a change to the allocation model, there will be a further increase in ‘own-use’ funding for a number of authorities who take in Local Property Tax income above their baseline – they will now retain more of that income for their own use. 

The figures mean Louth will receive an extra €600k in‘own-use’ funding for 2026 when compared to 2025.

Today’s increase builds on a €75m increase to baselines in 2024 in response to a review carried out the previous year. 

This latest increase is in recognition of the Local Property Tax revaluation which is due to take place this November for the 2026 liability year.  

The proposed changes to Local Property Tax bands and fixed charges will mean that most homeowners will remain in their current valuation bands, but will see an increase, which the government says will be “mostly modest,” in Local Property Tax charges next year. 

Every local authority receives a minimum (‘baseline’) amount of funding from the Local Property Tax, supplemented by funding from the exchequer where a local authority’s Local Property Tax income is lower than its baseline. 

Announcing the changes, Minister James Browne TD, said:

“From the outset, I have been committed to ensuring that any additional yield earned from the Local Property Tax revaluation, goes directly to where it is needed in our local areas.  Local Authorities play an essential role in the delivery of services to our people and our communities, and each of them will now see an increase in funding in line with their increased yield. 

“Those who are paying local property taxes deserve to see their contribution at work in their local areas and today I have made changes to ensure more locally sourced revenue is spent where it comes from. 

“I am announcing a further increase in funding to those authorities with yield above their ‘minimum funding baseline’.   These authorities have seen a large increase in population and property numbers, and this will ensure they have the funds available towards regeneration programmes in their own urban centres. This is particularly important in carrying out the ambitious and essential recommendations made by the Dublin City Taskforce for our Capital City.”

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John Cummins, Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, welcomed the changes to Local Property Tax in 2026, and said:

“This is welcome news for local authorities who will all see a benefit in their yield for 2026 which is very important in the context of delivering services and key infrastructure projects in their areas. 

“I do want to acknowledge Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe who worked with me to ensure that any additional yield from the LPT would be ring-fenced for use by local authorities. 

“For the 10 surplus Local Authorities, they will see significant uplift which will assist them in delivering urban regeneration projects for the benefit of their growing communities.”