Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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Question 385: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 595 of 6 June, 2012, the reason the legislation was originally drafted to specifically levy the household charge on property owners only, in view of the fact that the charge is for the provision of local services which are also enjoyed by both private and public tenants; if he will also comment on the fact that letting agreements generally contain a clause giving owners of private residential property the power to pass on such local government charges to their tenants, in the view of his specific comment that tenants are not liable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30451/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 125 of 9 May 2012, 115 of 17 May 2012 and 595 of 6 June 2012 which set out the position in this matter. As previously outlined, section 2(2) of the Local Government (Household Change) Act 2011 provides that certain buildings are not residential property for the purposes of the legislation. Section 2(2)(b), in particular, provides that a building vested in a Minister of the Government, a housing authority (within the meaning of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992) or the Health Service Executive is not a residential property for the purposes of the Act.