Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the responsibility for collecting foreshore licence payments is to move from his Department's responsibility to that of local authorities; the amount the State is losing each year through his Department's failure to collect these payments; the timetable for the proposed changeover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13617/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Payments that fall to be made in respect of leases and licences granted under the Foreshore Acts are collected by the Department, as part of its overall responsibility for the administration of the foreshore in accordance with those Acts.

Considerable progress has been made in the recent past in recovering rental arrears. The amount of arrears in respect of leases and licences was reduced from €744,000 in January 2005 to €442,000 in January 2006. Work to recover the moneys still owed is ongoing and a number of cases representing a large element of the outstanding sum have been referred to the legal services.

In addition, the Department has modified its collection procedures with a view to ensuring that lessees and licensees make payments on a timely basis in future, and that appropriate steps are taken to recover debts where payment is not forthcoming.

There are no proposals for the assignment to local authorities of responsibility for collection of foreshore payments.