Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are two elements to the LPT reviews that are under way. One is my Department's review, which concerns how we allocate receipts from the tax to local authorities. Members will be familiar with the calculation of the baseline that we have been using from the 2014 position and then there is how money moves in and out of the LPT, 80% retention, reallocations, top-ups, etc. The second review is being conducted between myself and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. It is about the amount raised, that is, how the LPT raises money and the amount it raises. Both reviews are ongoing.

The review that is more specific to how we fund local authorities is more or less complete. The Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, has done a great deal of work on how to weight the investment into each local authority depending on how much is raised in their own areas. We call it, in shorthand, a bucket model. The Deputy will understand it when he sees it. There are different buckets that have different priorities depending on national policy. I probably should not say any more on that until we have published it.

The second review is being led by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and that work is ongoing. We understand, because of the point we will reach later in the year, that the work needs to conclude. It is a priority for both Departments.