Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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608. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the non-principal private charge in respect of a premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27564/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on non-principal private residences. The self-assessed charge is set at €200 and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties. Section 4(6) of the 2009 Act provides an exemption in circumstances in which a residential property is occupied free of rent as the sole or main residence by a person who is a relative of the property’s owner, and in which the owner resides elsewhere. In such circumstances the owner is not liable to pay the charge , provided that the property in question and the owner’s sole or main residence are within 2 kilometres of each other.

Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge and late payment fees due to it, and all charges and late payment fees imposed and payable to a local authority are under the care and management of the local authority concerned. In this regard, application of the legislation in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant local authority. Guidelines have also been issued to local authorities in relation to the provisions of the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, which address instances such as that referred to in the question.