asked the Minister for the Environment (a) the number of local authority houses in the country (b) the number of private houses in the country (c) the number of business houses which are paying rates and (d) the total amount of properties not rated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Rates on Properties.
38.
It is estimated that the present total number of housing units in the country is about 985,000 of which 120,000 are rented from local authorities and 865,000 are privately owned. I am not sure what category of property the Deputy has in mind when he refers to "business houses" but statistical returns submitted by rating authorities show that a total of 107,866 rate demands were issued in repect of all property on which rates were due and payable in 1987. There is no breakdown available to indicate how many of these relate to commercial businesses as distinct from industrial or other property.
The total number of properties not liable for rates includes the numbers of domestic dwellings given above and in excess of 527,000 separately valued parcels of land. There is also a category of properties such as churches, cemeteries, hospitals, secondary schools, farm buildings, community centres, lighthouses, etc., which are either exempt from valuation or rates; there are no details in my Department of the number in this category.