Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason a housing estate (details supplied) in County Westmeath was categorised by his Department as finished when Westmeath County Council clearly outlined in the list they submitted that this estate was in fact unfinished; if he will guarantee that this mistake will be rectified and place the estate on the unfinished housing estate list as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7589/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As part of the process of preparing the 2011 National Housing Development Survey, which was launched by my Department in October 2011, local authorities, including Westmeath County Council, provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories: Category 1, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist; Category 2, where a receiver has been appointed; Category 3, where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and Category 4, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious problems for residents. This categorisation formed the basis for the list of those unfinished developments eligible for a waiver on the annual household charge. Only households in developments in categories 3 and 4 are eligible for the waiver from payment of the household charge. The list of developments in which households are eligible for the waiver in 2012 is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012. In Budget 2013, the Government announced the introduction of a local property tax which will replace the annual household charge. It was also decided that a waiver will apply in certain circumstances. A prescribed list of unfinished estates, subject to certain criteria and identified as part of the National Housing Development Survey 2012, in respect of which the property tax for 2013 will be waived in accordance with the Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012, will be prepared. I anticipate that this list will be published shortly.