Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends to implement exemptions on property tax charges for those homeowners affected by Pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46158/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

An independently-chaired Inter-Departmental Expert Group was established to consider the structures and modalities for an equitable local property tax to replace the household charge. The Group submitted its report and proposals will be brought to Government as soon as possible. It will then be a matter for the Government to decide on the exact details of implementation taking into account the modalities involved. The Government has decided that the local property tax will be collected and administered by the revenue Commissioners.

I have recently published the report of the independent Pyrite Panel. The report recommends that consideration be given to providing an exemption from the proposed property tax, for a set period, for dwellings where damage from pyritic heave has been proved by testing. While the Government will have regard to this recommendation as appropriate in the context of the proposed property tax legislation, no decisions have been made as yet on the details of the local property tax, including what exemptions might apply.