Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Property Taxation Administration

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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509. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Dublin’s local property taxes are going to be reassigned to other regions when this tax can support the crisis situation with the homeless in Dublin; if he will defend the interests of Dublin citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29304/14]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In consultation with other relevant Government colleagues, I have been examining the implications of local retention and variation of Local Property Tax (LPT) in recent months, including, how these policies might potentially impact on the overall Exchequer financial position and the financial positions of individual local authorities.

In terms of local retention of Local Property Tax, the Government has indicated its intention to move to 80% retention of the Tax from 2015. A decision to allow local authorities to retain 80% of LPT locally and the power to vary LPT rates will facilitate further implementation of the local government reform programme, a core element of which involves greater devolution to the local government sector, through supporting enhanced local decision making on spending priorities.

Local authorities in large urban and commuter areas provide a wide range of services to those living and working in their cities and towns, and I recognise the importance of those centres and their role in economic growth. There is, however, a need to recognise that the LPT base outside of the cities and main commuter zones is narrower and that there will be a requirement to equalise the income position of those local authorities in order to ensure that an acceptable standard of service delivery is maintained across the country. A direct comparison between urban andrural authorities ignores the material differences in scale, service provision and demand that exist between authorities. It also fails to take account of their ability to collect income from other sources, such as rates, and the difference in levels of public services received, which vary considerably from one local authority to another.

My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities and the purposes for which housing authorities may incur expenditure in addressing homelessness are prescribed in Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988.

On 20 May 2014, I published the Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessnessin which the Government's approach to delivery on its objective of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 was outlined. A copy of this plan is available on my Department's website at

This plan sets out a range of measures to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to house homeless households within the next three years and mobilise the necessary supports.

Given the particular concentration of homelessness in the Dublin area, Dublin City Council, the lead authority for the region, has prepared a targeted programme of actions to support the Implementation Plan and, in particular, focus on managing and addressing homelessness in the Dublin Region. The Dublin City Council Action Plan is expected to be published shortly.

It will be a matter for each local authority to determine how best to use all of its central Government revenue sources in line with local priorities and circumstances.

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