I propose to take Questions Nos. 709, 716 and 718 together.
The Local Government Management Agency is administering the Household Charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. There was no existing comprehensive database of residential properties and their owners within the State prior to the Household Charge being introduced. The collection of the Household Charge via self-assessment declaration provides for the collation of such information in relation to residential property and will be an essential component for implementing a full local property tax. Local authorities are continuing to identify undeclared properties through appropriate data sharing provisions, and significant efforts have been expended in matching self-declared information with other datasets and in refining the resulting data.
I also understand that the addresses and names used in the current batch of letters which are being issued by Local Authorities reminding people to pay the Household Charge have been based on a data matching exercise with the Property Registration Authority. I understand that every effort has been made to try and ensure letters are sent to current property owners. However there are some instances where letters are being sent to previous owners of properties, due to the fact that the more recent property owners may not have registered their property with the Authority or the transfer of the property has not been completed. Thus in some cases the information contained within these datasets may not reflect the most recent and relevant details. As a consequence, the data matching exercise can give rise to situations in which people may receive a letter where they have already paid the charge. Due to differences in the formats of addresses between datasets, it has also been the case that some owners who have paid the charge are receiving reminder letters.
In other instances, letters have unfortunately been sent to deceased persons. I appreciate that receipt of such a letter may cause upset to relatives of a deceased person. However, in the absence of a comprehensive database, such instances, while regrettable, are also unavoidable if the Agency and local authorities are to continue their work in maximising compliance with a charge which funds essential local services for communities. I understand that the letters which issued in recent weeks invite recipients who are not liable, or who have previously paid the household charge, or in the event of inaccuracy or error, to contact the Household Charge Bureau to allow the Agency to update their records accordingly.
