Tom Shehan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a question on outsourcing, if I may be so bold. Two or three years ago the issue of outsourcing was first raised, with the four Dublin local authorities and Waterford being done to date. If we kept at this rate, we would not get to the end of valuation of properties in the State until 2029.

The progress that has been made has been miserable. At the time it was proposed that funding would be given to the Valuation Office to employ more people, but that did not happen and outsourcing was mentioned. Now we are discussing giving more powers to outsource. Has any consideration been given to self-assessment for rates? We have accepted self-assessment for the local property tax. The calculation of rates is laid down on paper. I have always made this argument. My understanding was that the rateable valuation was calculated as the best achievable rent of the property multiplied by the square footage. The best achievable rent in properties over the past five years has more than halved but nobody has come knocking on my door to say their rates have reduced by more than 50%. Now that outsourcing seems to be accepted, has any consideration been given to self-assessment?