Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Finance if the residents of Priory Hall, Dublin, are to be levied with the property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56458/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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It is envisaged that the list of unfinished estates to be prescribed by the Minister to the Environment, Community and Local Government for the purposes of the Local Property Tax will be in line with that used for the purposes of the Household Charge. Such properties will be exempt from the Local Property Tax. I am informed by the Department of the Environment that Priory Hall is among the developments listed in S.I. 1 of 2012, and was, accordingly, exempt from the Household Charge on this basis.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Finance if homeowners whose homes have Pyrite issues will be levied with the property tax. [56459/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Government is conscious of the very real costs and difficulties faced by people whose homes have been affected by pyrite. My colleague the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, has indicated that he considers that houses demonstrated to be subject to a certifiable level of pyritic heave should receive a waiver from the Local Property Tax. I propose to address this issue in the context of the Finance Bill.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Finance if homeowners who currently pay management fees will be levied with the property tax. [56460/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Revenue from the local property tax will accrue to local authorities and will support the provision of local services. Local authorities provide a broad range of services in the public realm which benefit the wider community, the proper functioning of which are important for the wellbeing of every community and household. These include - fire and emergency services; road maintenance and cleaning; street lighting; spatial and development planning and other similar services; regulatory and inspection functions and business support services, as well as libraries, parks, and other recreation and cultural public amenities. The benefits of these services accrue to all members of society, including those who pay management fees. Exemptions from or deferral of the Local Property Tax are only applicable in the circumstances provided for in the legislation. A requirement to pay management fees would not be relevant in determining liability.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Finance if any exemption will be given from the property tax to homeowners who have paid stamp duty in the previous nine years. [56461/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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There is no such exemption provided for in the Local Property Tax Bill. The Inter-Departmental Expert Group on the Design of a Property Tax (the ‘Thornhill Group’) recommended against allowances for Stamp Duty because such allowances would not be targeted at need.