Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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140. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the services that will now be fully funded by local authorities following the retention of the local property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8476/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The local government funding model has changed considerably in 2014. For example, the establishment of Irish Water and its financial relationship with the local government sector will have a considerable impact on the arrangements for local authority financing. In addition, under the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012, the Minister for Finance, from 2014 onwards, is to pay into the Local Government Fund an amount equivalent to the Local Property Tax paid into the Central Fund during that year; this will contribute to a range of financial supports being provided to local authorities, including General Purpose Grants and funding, on the basis of Service Level Agreements, for water services which local authorities will be providing on behalf of Irish Water.

The Government has indicated an intention to move to 80% retention of all Local Property Tax receipts within the local authority area where the Tax is raised. Given the significant changes to local government financing already taking place in 2014, as outlined above, it has been necessary to defer defining a certain proportion of the proceeds of the Local Property Tax to be retained in each local authority until 2015. This approach allows maximum flexibility in allocating Local Property Tax proceeds in 2014, particularly in terms of General Purpose Grants, with a priority to support those local authorities with weaker funding bases.

I expect the Local Property Tax to have multiple benefits, including a more sustainable and resilient system of funding for local authorities and therefore a sounder financial footing for the provision of essential local services; greater local scope for financial decision-making concerning service provision; and a strengthening of democracy at local level with a more active relationship between local authorities and local electorates. A stronger democratic relationship and clearer lines of accountability can only have a beneficial impact on service provision from the perspective of the service user.

The implications of local retention of Local Property Tax are being considered in the context of preparations for the budgetary process for 2015. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has carried out an assessment of the service impact of a 15% reduction in the local property tax from 2015 in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8477/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Under section 20 of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012, a local authority may, as a reserved function to be discharged by the elected members, resolve to vary the rate of the Local Property Tax within its functional area by a maximum of +/-15%. This power will be available to local authorities effective from 2015, as the relevant sections of the Act will come into operation on 1 July 2014. Section 20 of the Act requires that, in varying the rate, a local authority must take account of its financial position, its income and expenditure, and of the financial effect of the varied rate on the economy of its functional area, including on those persons who will be liable to pay the Local Property Tax. Section 20 also provides that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government may make regulations, including in respect of public consultation requirements prior to the variation of the rate of the Tax. I will give consideration to the making of such regulations in advance of the coming into operation of section 20 of the 2012 Act.

It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.