Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

The Minister said 1.6 million households are liable for the charge but, up to the end of February, only 128,000 householders had paid. He cannot operate on the revenue estimate of €160 million. Will local authorities be given funding by the Department to address the shortfall? The household charge is not an additional income stream for local authorities. It replaces the local government fund, under which €164 million was available last year. The figures do not add up.

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