James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a local authority will only allow payment of the household charge in cash and refuses to accept a credit card, which is the preferred method of payment of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8665/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge. There is a range of options available for persons to pay the household charge. An online system www.householdcharge.ie is in place in the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to enable homeowners to pay the household charge by credit/debit card or in four instalments by direct debit. In addition, homeowners can make payment by cheque, postal order, credit/debit card or in four instalments of €25 by direct debit by completing the relevant payment details on the declaration form and posting it to Household Charge, PO Box 12168, Dublin 1. Instalment payments are available by direct debit only and persons opting to pay in this way must register their details by 1 March, 2012. A bureau is in place in the LGMA to administer the charge on a shared service/agency basis for all local authorities. In addition, all county/city councils have been requested to have arrangements in place for persons to attend their principal offices to pay the household charge up to 31 March, 2012. I am satisfied that there is a comprehensive suite of payment options available to persons with a liability to pay the household charge.