Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very welcome to the House. When the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, was here earlier, I made reference to my own county based on the bands. Longford has 17,000 properties registered and 79% of them are in bands 1 and 2. Based on the new figures, by 2023 there would be a reduction of up to €1.5 million in the income we will be getting. I know the Minister has given a commitment and I wish to ask him this on the record. It has been said in the local media that Longford will face a shortfall, but we will not. I want it clarified that no local authority, which would see a reduction in income from the local property tax based on the new bands, will face a shortfall in funding to provide their services. I wish to get that commitment on the record.