Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons who selected to pay the household charge by instalments; ant the total number who have not paid their scheduled instalments. [29649/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the household charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The household charge is on a self-assessment basis and it is a matter for an owner of a residential property on the liability date to determine if he/ or she has a liability and, if so, to declare that liability and pay the household charge.

The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is administering the household charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. Instalment payments were available by direct debit only and persons opting to pay in this way had to register their details with the LGMA before 1 March, 2012. This deadline was necessary in order to meet banking requirements for direct debit arrangements.

I understand, from data provided by the LGMA, that there are 30,781 active direct debit mandates in place in respect of the household charge. 155 mandates were cancelled and the outstanding balance subsequently paid and a further 1,258 mandates have been cancelled or have failed. It is the responsibility of local authorities to pursue cases of non-compliance and local authorities may have recourse to the courts in such cases if appropriate.