John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The Bill is very clear on this. If a person owns the property, he or she is liable for the charge. However, I will contact my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, to advise him of the Senator's view on this matter as this branch of the law is primarily a matter for his Department to address. As I pointed out, the provision included in the Local Government (Charges) Bill follows precedent in other legislation. Depending on my colleague's advice, I would be happy to address the Senator's concerns in the future in a suitable legislative vehicle, if appropriate.

The legislation we are discussing is clear on the issue. If we are talking about the owner of the property, he or she is liable. It creates a nebulous situation where a county manager must decide on whether someone is liable for a fee on the basis of a piece of paper. I would prefer to have clarity on the issue.