Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views that there is an inbuilt inequity to the proposed household charge of a flat fee of €100 for every household. [32318/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland commits the Government to the introduction of a property tax for 2012. The Programme reflects the need, in the context of the State's overall financial position, to put the funding of locally delivered services on a sound financial footing, improve accountability and better align the cost of providing services with the demand for such services.

In light of the complex issues involved, a property tax, requiring a comprehensive property valuation system, would take time to introduce and accordingly, to meet the requirements in the EU/IMF Programme, the Government has decided to introduce a household charge in 2012. The household charge is an interim measure and proposals for a full property tax will be considered by the Government in due course.

The household charge is being set at a modest amount of €100 for 2012 and I will provide for a number of exemptions and waivers to the charge. In addition, to mitigate the impact on homeowners, provision will be made for the payment of the charge by instalments.

The legislation to underpin the household charge will contain the precise details of the charge and will be published and brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas shortly.