Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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490. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has issued statutory guidance to local authorities as per section 73 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 which allow local authorities to write down late payment fee liabilities under the non-principal private residence charge; if not, when he expects to issue this statutory guidance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19435/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended by the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011, introduced a €200 annual charge on non-principal private residences (NPPR), payable by the owners to the local authority in whose area the property concerned is located.

Under section 77 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 I have issued guidance to local authorities concerning matters relating to arrears of the NPPR charge and late payment fees, to ensure a consistent national approach. The guidelines encourage local authorities to take a proactive approach to ensure that any outstanding NPPR liabilities are discharged in the most equitable, efficient and economically beneficial manner.

It is expected, in the majority of cases, that local authorities will collect the full NPPR charge liability from owners. In some cases, this may be by means of arrangement by installment , as set out in the guidance document.

Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect non-principal private residence charges 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.