Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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187. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for the delay in the Valuation Office issuing a valuation on a property (details supplied) in County Westmeath; the timeframe for a valuation; if the local authority will be compensated for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46748/14]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for the delay in the Valuation Office issuing a valuation on a property (details supplied) in County Westmeath; the timeframe for a valuation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46747/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 192 together.

Under section 28 (4) of the Valuation Act 2001, a Revision Officer appointed by the Commissioner of Valuation may carry out a revision of valuation in relation to a particular property only if a material change of circumstances has occurred such as the coming into being of a new building, a change in value due to structural alterations of an existing building, total or partial demolition of a building or a sub-division or amalgamation of relevant property.  The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Act and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative.  The statute does not accord me as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform any function in this regard. 

I have been informed by the Valuation Office that a revision application was received from Westmeath County Council on 22 August 2014 in relation to the property concerned.  A Revision Officer has not been appointed to date as the property is still under construction and it will not open for a number of weeks. When it is complete, it will be valued by a Revision Officer and a proposed valuation certificate will be issued to the occupier of the property, in accordance with section 29 of the Act.

It is a "new build" and, therefore, will be liable for rates under the new 'property entry levy' charge which is levied on all newly erected or newly constructed properties.  The final valuation certificate for the relevant property  is likely to be issued for  early in 2015.