Vol. 575 No. 5
170 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the impact recently announced levies on housing in urban and rural areas is likely to have on depopulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28776/03]
Development contributions have been levied since 1964 to ensure some recoupment to local authorities of the cost of servicing lands. Planning authorities have drawn up development contribution schemes in accordance with the revised framework established by section 48 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The schemes are intended to ensure that the longstanding practice of levying development contributions to help fund local authority infrastructure is implemented in a more transparent and consistent way across the country than has been the case in the past. The final decision on making a development contribution scheme, and setting the levies, rests with the elected members of the local authority. The schemes will apply to all development, not just housing development. I am satisfied that they will not have a negative impact on rural populations.
