A series of local authorities around the country have voted to cut their property tax rates next year. Three of the four Dublin councils backed a 15% rate drop yesterday, while Fingal will decide today.

However Kerry and Galway have opted not to impose a rate cut.

Cork County Council has voted to implement a 10% reduction, instead of the full 15.

The county mayor, councillor Alan Coleman, has explained why they did not go for the maximum amount allowed.

Meanwhile another councillor says he is concerned about the provision of services after Dublin city voted to reduce the tax.

Council boss Owen Keegan has warned that public services could suffer as a result of the reduction in tax.

And Green councillor Ciaran Cuffe agrees.

It was announced earlier this month that 20% of the local property tax is to be re-distributed to other areas from where it is paid.

The government says while 80% of it will be retained locally to fund public services, the remaining amount will go elsewhere in the country.

This is to provide top-up funding to certain local authority areas that have lower property tax bases where the property tax intake is not enough to meet the cost of services.

Any local authority who wants to drop the level of the property tax must inform the Revenue Commissioners by the end of September.

The government has also decided that no local authority will receive less income from the property tax in 2015 than they received from the local government fund in 2014.