Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 May 2012
19 Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to refund the household charge to residents of Priory Hall, Belmayne and pyrite contaminated housing who paid the charge and exempt them and residents of these houses who have not paid the charge but are liable. [22171/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows:
Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist;
Category two, where a receiver has been appointed;
Category three, where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and
Category four, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious problems for residents.
Households in developments in categories three and four are eligible for the waiver from payment of the household charge. This list of developments in which households are eligible for the waiver in 2012 is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012. Priory Hall is included on the list of those estates within which residents qualify for a waiver in 2012. Any residents who may have inadvertently paid the Annual Household Charge can apply for a refund at www.householdcharge.ie.
The independent Pyrite Panel is due to submit its report to me in the near future. On receipt of the report I will give careful consideration to the content of the report and any recommendations it may contain in relation to the position of home owners whose homes are affected by pyrite. The identification of dwellings affected by pyrite is complex, and this issue can only be given full consideration following receipt of the Panel's report.
