Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2013
353. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will furnish a list of the estates that are exempt on property tax in County Louth and in east Meath. [13634/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra357. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding his review of unfinished estates, if his Department is compiling a list of unfinished estates; if so, the stage this process is at and when it will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14155/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra358. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the up to date list of unfinished estates will be used as a tool to identify houses that qualify for an exemption from the local property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14156/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra373. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the next review of the categorisation of unfinished estates will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14358/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 353, 357, 358 and 373 together.
As part of the work of the National Coordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments, which I chair, my Department conducted national surveys of unfinished developments in 2010, 2011 and 2012. The National Housing Development Survey 2012 revealed that 1,203 developments which had previously been included in the 2011 Survey could be removed as they were either substantially complete or development had never commenced, and many substantially complete developments could progress to being taken in charge by local authorities. Since 2010, the number of such developments has fallen by 37%, to 1,770. I anticipate that this progress will continue in 2013 as more problem estates are resolved under the work of the National Coordination Committee and its stakeholders, which include NAMA, local authorities, the Irish Banking Federation and the representatives from the construction sector. Work on the 2013 survey will commence during Q2 with a view to publication of the results in the autumn.
The list of unfinished housing estates to be prescribed for purposes of a waiver from the local property tax has been compiled by local authorities utilising the categorisation in place in respect of the household charge, updated by reference to the National Housing Survey 2012. My Department has collated the data from local authorities and Minister Hogan yesterday signed the Regulations to prescribe the list of qualifying estates for purposes of exemption from the local property tax.
