Written answers

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Local Authority Funding

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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451. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the monetary value of all development contributions collected by each local authority to date which have not been spent; if he will introduce measures that would legally facilitate the drawing down of development contributions which have no reasonable chance of being spent upon the original agreed improvements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8992/14]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The information requested on the monetary value of development contributions collected to date and not spent is not available in my Department.

A planning authority may, when granting a permission under section 34, include conditions requiring the payment of a contribution in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting development in the area of the planning authority and that is provided, or that is intended will be provided, by or on behalf of the local authority. Development contributions are a key part of securing investment in enabling infrastructure necessary to facilitate future development and it is appropriate to contribute towards its provision.  The infrastructural works identified by the local authority at planning application stage will be charged for in accordance with the local authority’s development contribution schemes.

As with all local charges, the invoicing and collection of any outstanding development contributions is a matter for the local authority concerned to manage, in the light of prevailing local circumstances and in accordance with normal financial procedures. Given the necessity to provide infrastructure that is required to facilitate development and in line with the provisions of the adopted development plan, refunding contributions paid but not yet spent by the relevant local authority does not arise.

Where any payments required in respect of development contributions are not settled, such payments may be pursued by the planning authority through the courts as a contract debt and, until such time as amounts outstanding are discharged in full, the conditions of the relevant planning permission have not been met and the development is unauthorised.

Each planning authority is required to include, in its statutory annual accounts, details of contributions received and information on how the contributions have been spent.

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