Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I just wanted to clear that up. I want to examine development levies, illegal dumping and the issuing of a waste permit which was subsequently shredded in Wicklow County Council before having to be reissued. I will explain the last matter in a moment.

I begin with the issue of development levies. I asked a series of parliamentary questions of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in March 2013. I was given figures on the outstanding amount of development levies for each local authority categorised under two headings, "current development levy debtors" and "long-term development levy debtors", respectively. When one adds up the current and long-term debtors, local authorities are owed or expect to be owed a total of €750 million. The economic collapse has not passed anyone's notice. I understand that some of the current levies may never have fallen due in circumstances where construction may not have commenced. However, I was concerned to see that €300 million of the outstanding levies are classified by local authorities as long-term debt.

When I published the figures on 15 March 2013, I was surprised and taken aback by the very defensive approach of the Department in responding to media requests. It seemed to try to rubbish or dispute the figures which it had itself put in the public domain in reply to parliamentary questions. There was a series of statements from the Department on 15 March 2013 clarifying, reclarifying and explaining the figures. When I look at the figures, I see that €300 million is owed to local authorities in outstanding levies which have been classified as long-term debt. How many years must elapse before a levy is classified as a long-term debt? Surely, €300 million is a cause of significant concern.