Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 June 2012
188 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any plans will be put in place to allow An Post to take payments for the household charge in view of the fact that this would be very convenient for many persons. [31516/12]
View answerThe household charge is on a self-assessment basis and it is a matter for an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January, 2012 to determine if he/she has a liability and, if so, that person is required to declare that liability by completing the household charge declaration form and to pay the household charge by 31 March, 2012.
There is a range of options available for persons to pay the household charge. An online systemwww.householdcharge.ie is in place in the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to enable homeowners to pay the household charge by credit/debit card. In addition, homeowners can make payment by cheque, postal order, credit or debit card by completing the relevant payment details on the declaration form and posting it to Household Charge, PO Box 12168, Dublin 1.
A bureau is in place in the LGMA to administer the charge on a shared service/agency basis for all local authorities. In addition, all county/city councils have been requested to have arrangements in place for persons to attend their principal offices to pay the household charge. An Post has assisted in broadening the number of local outlets where the household charge declaration form is available and the form has been available outside the counter in the network of 1,152 local post offices. I am satisfied that there is a comprehensive suite of payment options available to persons to pay the charge.
