Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify a matter (details supplied) regarding the household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2740/12]

John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason an estate (details supplied) in Dublin 11 was not exempted from the household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2745/12]

John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason an estate (details supplied) in Dublin 15 was not exempted from the household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2746/12]

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the criteria for determining which unfinished estates were in poor enough condition to entitle their residents to household charge waivers; and the reason an estate (details supplied) in County Dublin was not included under these criteria. [2763/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 154, 156, 157 and 158 together.

As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, launched by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows:

Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist;

Category two, where a receiver has been appointed;

Category three, where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and

Category four, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious problems for residents

Other relevant factors for the purposes of the categorization process include, inter alia:

the state of completion of roads, footpaths, public lighting facilities, piped water and sewerage facilities and open spaces or similar amenities within the development;

the extent to which the development complies with the terms of applicable planning permission;

the extent to which it complies with the provisions of the Building Control Acts 1990 and 2007;

the provisions of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1964 as they pertain to dangerous places and dangerous structures within the meaning of the Act;

the extent to which facilities within the development have been taken in charge by the local authority concerned and

where there is an agreement regarding the maintenance of such facilities, the extent to which this agreement has been complied with.

This categorisation formed the basis for the list of those unfinished developments eligible for a waiver on the annual household charge.

Only households in developments in categories three and four are eligible for the waiver from payment of the household charge. This list of developments in which households are eligible for the waiver in 2012 is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012. A revised list of estates will be prescribed for 2013 after which time the waiver for unfinished housing developments will end. Throughout this period it is anticipated that the numbers of categories 3 and 4 developments will decrease significantly as my Department continues to work with local authorities and other stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues, including through the Public Safety Initiative.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2744/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides for the household charge. Owners of residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012, subject to a limited number of exemptions and waivers, are liable to pay the household charge. There is no exemption in the legislation for those persons paying management fees to management companies.

The revenue from the household charge will support the provision of essential local services. Internationally, local services are administered by local authorities and financed by local service charges. In Ireland, local authorities are responsible for, among other services, public parks, libraries, open spaces and leisure amenities, planning and development, fire and emergency services, maintenance and cleaning of streets and street lighting. These are essential local services which benefit all members of the public.