Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 5, after line 45, to insert the following subsection:

"(8) The charge liable by a single owner will be limited to €600 per building in instances where the building contains in excess of three self-contained dwellings.".

I tabled this amendment because the €200 levy is not unduly onerous on rented accommodation or apartments but could have a significant impact on low cost social housing for single people who may not be able to buy a house of their own. Many houses have been converted into five, six or seven units, depending on the size of the house. Each unit could be subject to the €200 charge. On top of that, the owner must pay a registration charge to the Private Residential Tenancies Board. It could amount to a great deal of money when we want to provide good quality accommodation, particularly for single people with low incomes. I ask the Minister to cap the charge at a particular amount without letting it run to €3,000, depending on the number of units in the house. I suggest it be capped at €600. There is a precedent for this.

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