Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 May 2014
149. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Finance if he will arrange for the Revenue Commissioners' records to be amended regarding a local property tax liability in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [20036/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a key aspect of the work undertaken in regard to Local Property Tax (LPT) was the development of a comprehensive Register of residential properties in the State. The Register was populated using data drawn from a range of sources including Revenue's own databases, the Local Government Management Agency database and data from various utility companies. The various data sets were cross-checked by Revenue to ensure the accuracy of the information in respect of each property being included on the Property Register.
However, given the scale of the project it was inevitable that there would be some errors and in a small number of instances properties were either duplicated, or omitted from, the Property Register. Revenue clearly indicated this possibility in all of its communications in regard to LPT and stressed that in such circumstances the onus was on the property owners to make contact and provide the correct details.
In regard to the specific case to which the Deputy refers, the person in question received correspondence on a number of occasions since the commencement of LPT but failed to engage with Revenue until now, to advise that the LPT had been previously paid by another family member. A duplicate record had been registered on the basis that two versions of the address, Terrace and Crescent, were in use for the particular property and the person in question was associated with one of the records. Revenue has now confirmed that the duplicate record has been removed from the LPT Register and that the 2013 LPT return has been filed and paid for both 2013 and 2014 and that the Household Charge has also been paid in respect of the relevant property.
