Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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Question 391: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm if all moneys collected through the household charge will be ringfenced for use in the local authority area in which it is collected; the amount that has been collected in each local authority area; when the amount raised is likely to be redistributed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14113/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge.

Section 17 of the Act provides that income from the household charge is to be paid into the Local Government Fund. I am disbursing monies received from the household charge back to local authorities in the general-purpose grant payments that are being made during 2012. It is considered that this approach is preferable to allowing local authorities directly retain all moneys collected from the household charge in their areas, as it makes it possible for me to equalise distribution, ensuring that those local authorities with lower populations than others do not suffer unduly as a result.

The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is administering the household charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. I understand, from data provided by the LGMA, that as of 12 March, 2012, a total of 224,133 properties have been registered for payment of the household charge. This equates to income of some €22.4m. The sub-national data sought in the Question is not available.