asked the Minister for the Environment when figures will be available showing the amount collected in 1983 in each local authority area in respect of service charges introduced under new legislation and regulations in 1983.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Service Charges.
4.
This information is extracted from returns submitted by local authorities after the end of each quarter. I would hope to be in a position to give final figures for 1983 by mid-March.
Does the Minister accept that it is difficult to understand why, in reply to a previous parliamentary question from me, he stated that the information requested was not available in the Department? If the Minister at that stage had information for the first three quarters of the year, it would be normal practice to give whatever information was available and to state that the figures for the final quarter were not in yet. Could the Minister now state what the figures are for the period for which returns have been made to his Department, that is for the first three quarters which he mentioned? It is difficult to understand why we should have to wait until March to have the information made available.
I am sure the Deputy would like to have figures for the full year. The position is that at present approximately £10 million have been collected in levies by the 86 local authorities.
Is the Minister stating that £10 million have been collected through the imposition of the new service charges?
Yes.
Is the Minister aware that the estimated revenue from new service charges was given in reply to a previous parliamentary question as being £10 million? Is he saying that every local authority have achieved their target in regard to the collection of revenue under the new services introduced in the 1983 Act? That cannot be so.
No, I am saying that the estimated revenue in 1983 from the new services, excluding refuse charges, would be approximately £10 million. I will be in a position to give the Deputy the figures in mid-March.
I am sorry. I know the estimated figure is £10 million. I am asking if the Minister could give us the figures which are available to his Department for the first three quarters of the year.
The question seems to relate to the amount collected in 1983.
The Chair will accept that in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 270 on 18 January, when the Minister was asked in respect of each local authority to give the estimated revenue in 1983 for new service charges and the actual amount collected in each area, he said that the information was not available in the Department. The Minister has now informed the House that, in fact, information has been supplied to his Department on a quarterly basis by each local authority and the Minister did not give the information which was available to him on that occasion. I know the Minister may not have that information with him but could he make it available to me?
I have not got the information with me but, if it is available, I will send it to the Deputy.
How could it take three months for the local authorities to inform the Minister's Department of the amount of revenue collected under the new service charges for the period October, November and December? It is very difficult to accept that we have an efficient local authority system if it could take them three months to notify the Department of the amounts collected under three or four different headings.
The Deputy implies that if we had an efficient local authority system we would have the figures earlier. On the basis of experience, I suggest mid-March would be a reasonable time to have these figures available.
Would the Minister agree that this is not good enough? If a newspaper reporter can ring up the county secretary or county manager of different local authorities and get this information, why cannot the Minister for the Environment, who has overall responsibility for local authorities, obtain this information and give it to the Parliament? It is clear to all that this imposition has been rejected by the people and the Minister is refusing to give that information to the public.
I will allow the Deputy to ask a question but not to make a speech.
As the Deputy knows, there has been a campaign by a party or parties to ensure that this is not a success. Literature is being distributed throughout constituencies advising tenants and householders not to pay. The Deputy knows that very well.
We are getting far from the question.
The Minister introduced new matter. He has accused certain political parties of issuing literature——
I can show the literature to the Deputy.
——asking householders not to pay the charges. Would the Minister care to name the political parties?
I am calling Question No. 5.
The Minister made a public charge. Will he name the political parties?
I have made a statement of the facts and it is true.
Why not say against whom the accusation is made?
I have made a true statement and the Deputy knows it to be true.
Against whom is the Minister making this allegation and why is he so reluctant to give this information?
The Deputy can get this information the same way I did.
The Minister has some ulterior motive for withholding this information.
Question No. 5.