Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 518: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are plans for projected increases to be applied to the household charge on an annual basis up to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41026/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland under its fiscal consolidation measures commits to the introduction of a property tax for 2012. 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 decided to introduce the household charge in 2012. The household charge is an interim measure and an equitable valuation based property tax will be introduced as soon as possible.

Subsection 3 of section 3 of the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 permits me, as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, to review the level of the household charge and to align it to changes in the All Items Consumer Price Index which measures changes in the cost of living generally. The provisions of section 3 are very limited and do not provide a power to change, in any substantive manner, the quantum of the €100 household charge. Any significant changes in the level of the household charge would require the enactment of new legislation to amend the 2011 Act.