Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 312: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the non principal private residence charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33733/12]

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. Under the legislation, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge by 31 March 2012, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver.

Article 4 of the Local Government (Charges) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 721 of 2011) made under the provisions of the above Act, as amended by section 19(1)(h) of the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011, prescribes a fee of €10 for the payment of a NPPR charge by a person attending at the offices of a relevant local authority providing such payment services. The €10 charge is payable by that person to the relevant local authority with the said charge from 1 January, 2012.

Over-the counter payments are resource-heavy for local authorities and this is reflected in an additional fee if a person chooses to use an administratively-expensive payment option when others are available. A €10 transaction charge was also recommended by the Local Government Efficiency Review Group to apply to all payments other than those made electronically.

The €10 fee does not apply in any circumstances in the case of persons making payment of a household charge at the office of a local authority. There is no proposal to introduce a fee for payment of the charge by cheque.