Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

As I explained in response to previous questions, the revaluation programme began in November 2005 in the South Dublin County Council area where it was completed in 2007. It has since been completed in the Fingal County Council area in 2009 and in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown in 2010. The revaluation of the Dublin City Council area was commenced in May this year, having been postponed for well over a year because of the volatility and conditions in the property market. The Dublin City part of the programme will entail the valuation of approximately 25,000 properties and the new list will be published in 2013.

It is intended to roll out the revaluation programme to other local authority areas shortly. I understand the commissioner intends to make an order for revaluation of the Waterford City, Waterford County and Dungarvan Town Council areas before the end of the year. He has also initiated formal consultations with Limerick City and Limerick County Council on the timing of revaluation in those areas.

The commissioner, in consultation with officials from my Department, has been reviewing various proposals for modernising and streamlining the valuation process, including the appeal provisions, in the interests of both ratepayers and the local authorities. He is conscious that progress has been slow and he is anxious to improve this. For that reason, he has indicated that following this detailed examination he has concluded it may be feasible to introduce a self-assessment approach, accompanied by appropriate controls, and that it might be possible also to outsource some of the work. As well as helping to speed up the national programme, an element of outsourcing, if it proves practicable, would allow comparison of the Valuation Office productivity and costs with those in the private sector.

The enabling provisions to allow for these changes are included in proposals for amending legislation made to me by the commissioner which are being examined in Department. A significant amount of work has already been undertaken and preliminary heads of a Bill have been drafted in conjunction with the Valuation Office and the Attorney General which I hope to bring to Government shortly.

Preparatory work is continuing in drawing up the detailed schemes and, subject to the enactment of the legislation and availability of the necessary resources, I understand that the intention would be to initiate pilot revaluations in two local authority areas. The Valuation Office is also looking at ways of speeding up the capture of data on properties throughout the country in advance of revaluation in particular areas.

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