Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

My question is how effective fines on a public body, one that collects local property tax and collects rates, are. Ultimately if these fines are paid out, is it not the householders, through their local property tax or the small businesses paying rates to the council, who are effectively paying the fine imposed on the planning authority? Are they not effectively indirectly being hit by fines of this nature on the planning authority? While it comes out of the planning authority resources and budget, that is ultimately picked up by the ratepayer and the local property tax payer.