Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

The NPPR payment is currently paid directly to local authorities. It is the intention of the Minister that the Local Government Management Agency would be the main collector of the household charge which would go into the local government fund. Those of us who came from local government will realise that the local government fund does not fairly distribute funding to counties. In my county, Kildare, we have been fighting hard with the Department to get proper funding for the local authority. We have a much larger population and car usage within the county. The Minister might consider allowing local authorities rather than the local government management agency to collect the charge.

The tax is being imposed on the owners of properties. Some people who own second properties are being charged the NPPR and it seems slightly unfair that they will also have to pay the household charge. The dictionary definition of a household is "A house and its occupants which are regarded as a unit." Most occupants of rented properties will not pay the charge. The Minister might consider changing that provision in the Bill.

Aside from this, I welcome the Bill. What happened in 1977 was a retrograde step for the country and local democracy.

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