Skip to main content
Normal View

Local Authority Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 December 2012

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

Questions (80)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

80. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total amount of money reduced from local government fund payments per local authority area due to their payment rates of the household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54185/12]

View answer

Written answers

The two principal sources of revenue for the Local Government Fund are the proceeds of motor tax and the income from the Household Charge. The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides that income from the charge is to be paid into the Local Government Fund. The proceeds from the household charge are being re-distributed on an equalised basis to local authorities within the context of the annual allocations of general purpose grants. General purpose grants contribute towards meeting the reasonable cost to local authorities of providing services to their customers. Some €651m in general purpose grants had been allocated to local authorities for 2012. It has been necessary to reduce general purpose grant funding to local authorities in the third and fourth quarters of 2012 in light of the level of compliance with the household charge.

It is estimated that there are some 1.6 million residential properties potentially liable for the household charge. As such, if collected in full, the household charge has the potential to raise €160 million annually. As of 29 November 2012 some €111.2m had been collected nationally. A reduction of some €15.7m was applied to the third quarter general purpose grant payment. In the final quarter of the year those authorities achieving a collection rate of 65% or above have not had a further reduction in their general purpose grant payment. Local authorities achieving a collection rate of 60-65% have incurred a further reduction of 0.5%, while those authorities achieving a compliance rate below 60% have incurred a further 1% reduction in their annual allocation. For those authorities with a collection rate below 65%, and thereby incurring a further reduction in quarter 4, the final amount of general purpose grants available for 2012 will be revisited and reviewed at end year to take account of the financial position at that stage, including progress on securing an increased household charge yield. The table sets out the information requested.

Local Authority

Q3 deduction

Q4 deduction

Carlow County Council

246,235

Cavan County Council

419,804

Clare County Council

243,631

Cork County Council

979,559

167,478

Donegal County Council

1,016,872

309,458

Fingal County Council

545,285

D.Laoire/Rathdown Co Co

343,583

Galway County Council

779,835

Kerry County Council

417,043

Kildare County Council

564,622

Kilkenny County Council

412,407

Laois County Council

409,600

65,949

Leitrim County Council

291,318

Limerick County Council

453,821

Longford County Council

330,750

Louth County Council

278,293

45,652

Mayo County Council

641,589

Meath County Council

644,835

108,425

Monaghan County Council

340,589

Tipp NR County Council

376,593

Offaly County Council

386,784

121,648

Roscommon County Council

436,249

Sligo County Council

325,113

Sth Dublin County Council

475,210

84,820

Tipp SR County Council

462,782

Waterford County Council

507,283

Westmeath County Council

414,356

Wexford County Council

481,697

Wicklow County Council

369,163

Cork City Council

446,103

Dublin City Council

1,172,960

Galway City Council

123,887

Limerick City Council

203,098

Waterford City Council

154,343

Total

15,695,293

903,431

Top
Share