Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 July 2012
449 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the assistance he will provide to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is not in a position to pay the household charge in a single instalment, but who is willing to pay in a number of instalments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31906/12]
View answer461 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will introduce a waiver system for persons who cannot afford to pay the household charge in view of the fact that local authorities state that they do not have the power to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32021/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 461 together.
The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the household charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The household charge is on a self-assessment basis and it is a matter for an owner of a residential property on the liability date to determine if he or she has a liability and, if so, to declare that liability and pay the household charge.
The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) administers the household charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. Instalment payments were available by direct debit only and persons opting to pay in this way had to register their details with the LGMA before 1 March 2012. This deadline was necessary in order to meet banking requirements for direct debit arrangements.
The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides for a number of exemptions and waivers from payment of the household charge.
The exemptions from payment of the household charge are—
Residential properties that are part of the trading stock of a business and have not been sold or been the source of any income since construction,
Residential property owned by a Minister of the Government, a housing authority or the Health Service Executive,
Voluntary and co-operative housing,
Residential property subject to commercial rates and wholly used as a dwelling,
Residential property owned by certain charities or discretionary trusts, and
Residential property which an owner has vacated due to long-term mental or physical infirmity (e.g. elderly person that has moved into a nursing home).
The waivers which apply concern—
Owners of residential property entitled to mortgage interest supplement, and
Owners of houses in certain unfinished housing estates.
While there is no waiver scheme based on inability to pay included in the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011, the Act does place collection of the charge under the care and management of local authorities and application in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant local authority.
