Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014
428. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to make regulations under section 20(6) of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 and, if so, when he will publish same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25771/14]
View answer433. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government given that section 20 of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 provides that he may make regulations in respect of public consultation requirements prior to the variation of the rate of the local property tax, when he will make these regulations known to councillors and the chief executives of local authorities. [25378/14]
View answer442. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government section 20 of the Local Property Tax Bill 2012 provides that he may make regulations in respect of public consultation requirements prior to the variation of the rate of the local property tax, the date on which he intends to make these regulations known to councillors and the chief executives of local authorities. [25487/14]
View answer472. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has issued any regulations pursuant to section 20(6) of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26017/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 428, 433, 442 and 472 together.
Effective from 1 July 2014, local authorities may vary the rate of Local Property Tax in their administrative area for the following year by up to 15% of the basic rate of the Tax. The decision must be taken by resolution of the Council and must be notified to the Revenue Commissioners by 30 September in order to apply for the following year.
There are certain factors that local authorities are legislatively bound to take into account when deciding whether or not to vary their LPT rates for a given year (expected income & expenditure, accumulated assets and liabilities and the economic impact in their local area). The decision is not one that can be taken in isolation as it will have a direct impact on the level of funding available to local authorities and, therefore, on their ability to discharge their statutory responsibilities. The financial implications of any decision to vary must be considered.
The power to vary has been given to local authorities to further increase their autonomy. Elected members are already responsible for finalising the annual budget of the local authority – it is a reserved function – and the power to vary LPT will enable them to directly influence the level of Local Property Tax income they have to meet their expenditure requirements in the future.
I will make regulations in the coming weeks to set out the process for local authorities who wish to vary their LPT base rates, including the factors that they must consider and the type of public consultation that they should undertake as part of that process.
