asked the Minister for Local Government what steps he proposes to take to relieve the ratepayers of part of the intolerable burden they are now being asked to carry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Relief of Rates.
51.
With regard to the question of local finance and taxation generally, I would refer the Deputy to Chapter 15 of the White Paper on Local Government Reorganisation which was published last week.
Certain improvements have already been made in the rating system by the Local Government Act, 1970 which conferred a right on certain classes of ratepayer to spread their rate payments over the greater part of the year, and enabled local authorities to waive the rates liability of persons for whom payment would involve hardship. Over 6,400 people benefited from the rates waiver schemes last year. The Government have, of course, continued their policy of protecting ratepayers from the full effect of increases in local rates by means of State grants which, this year, total £77 million.
Is the Minister aware that the County Dublin rate is going to rise by about 17/- in the £ if the normal services are to be maintained and if the Government do not see their way to removing some of the charges from the rates which should have been removed years ago? Is the Minister also aware that he has a committee sitting on this matter for about four years and they have come up with nothing so far?
As stated in the White Paper, we propose to publish a separate White Paper dealing with local finance and taxation.
Will it ever come?
It will, when it is ready.
Is the Minister aware that the White Paper on rates was the White Paper which most people were looking forward to reading and that it should have been issued first so that there would be some idea of what could be done about this spiral of rates?