John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the value of commercial rates collected by each local authority in the country for each of the past three years; the value of rates written off by each local authority for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27836/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Detailed information in relation to the value of commercial rates collected and the value of rates written off by each local authority for 2007, 2008 and 2009, sourced from audited Annual Financial Statements (AFS), is set out in the attached table. Audited information is not yet available for 2010 or 2011. The audit of the 2010 Annual Financial Statements (AFS) is scheduled for completion in March 2012.

Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes, in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. As with all local charges, the invoicing and collection of due amounts is a matter for the local authority concerned to manage in the light of prevailing local circumstances and in accordance with normal accountancy procedures.

I recognise that these are difficult economic times and I am keeping all matters relating to rates under regular consideration in my Department.