Household Charge

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 May 2012

Thursday, 17 May 2012

Ceisteanna (113)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

115 Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 125 of 9 May 2012, the reason tenants in local authority accommodation have been specifically excluded from liability for the household charge under section 2(2)(b) of the legislation; the reason buildings vested in a housing authority were specifically included in the legislation; his views that such tenants avail of the local services for which the household charge is levied in the same way as tenants and householders in the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24678/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan)

The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislation underpinning the household charge. Under the legislation, tenants of residential properties, whether in public or in private rented accommodation, are not liable to the household charge. The legislation provides that an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver.

Section 2(2) of the Act provides that certain buildings are not residential property for the purposes of the legislation. Section 2(2)(b), in particular, provides that a building vested in a Minister of the Government, a housing authority (within the meaning of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992) or the Health Service Executive is not a residential property for the purposes of the Act.