Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the additional points the Senator made. This is a broader issue than the Finance Bill because much of what has been discussed here is about the role of local authorities. Such a matter would have to be dealt with as part of a whole-of-government approach with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which has a key role in this area. This suggestion could not be taken on by the Department of Finance without having a full consultation with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the matters we are discussing. I am not in a position to take the recommendation on board as a result. That is a key factor and it needs to be said.

I will raise an awkward situation from a few years ago, when we brought in the water rates. They were to be collected by local authorities as well. This created its own difficulties when people felt they had paid their taxes in the first place for the provision of public services. I would always be very careful about introducing an extra tax at local authority level to pay for projects when people may feel they have already paid their taxes to provide these services. It would require a long and detailed discussion in wider society and not just a debate such as this on the Finance Bill. This type of debate is far larger than the specifics of the Finance Bill and for that reason, I cannot under any circumstances take on the recommendation.