Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the tax forgone through the exemption of rental accommodation scheme properties from paying the non-principal private residence charge; the rationale behind the exemption of such properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13557/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The RAS exemption was included in the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 in order to encourage take-up of the then relatively new scheme.

As RAS has now been in existence for a number of years, the Government decided to remove the exemption in the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 with effect from 2012. It is estimated that the cost of the RAS exemption from payment of the charge on non-principal private residences was some €10.5 million for the years 2009 to 2011 inclusive.