Mr. Tom Phillips:

On the issue of financial contributions, I agree it is something that was going to happen in the future. At present, however, there are 31 planning authorities and 31 different types of levy. In Donegal, for example, it is €2,600 per unit, while in Wicklow it is €16,800 per residential unit, so there is a big disparity between local authorities. The development levy is only one part of the equation. Peter Stafford spoke about the windfall tax, which is a big issue. It was introduced in 2009 and it appears from our research that no money has been paid under that tax. We are seeking to have that reduced from 80% to 33%, because it is a big disincentive. It does not just apply to the zoning of land but also to the sideways zoning of lands, where there is a material contravention of a development plan. Everybody might agree that it is a good thing to do, but because it is technically a material contravention of a plan, an 80% tax is applied.

Then there are situations where there are special levies. For example, the metro in Dublin adds a levy to certain developments. The metro is on hold, but the levy is still in place. The levy is there for a 30-year period. If the money has not been spent in 30 years, it can be refunded to the developer. I can think of no other levy that has a 30-year life span. There is another special levy in Kilternan. To build an apartment in Kilternan, one pays a levy of €11,000 per residential unit and then a special levy of over €40,000. It works out at €55,000 per unit in levies. That is apart from a potential windfall tax, Part V social housing and other costs. There are many costs. That is the situation for people who have land at present. It is a tricky point.