Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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256. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding development levies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10863/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The charging of development contributions is intended to allow local authorities to recoup some of the costs to public funds of servicing land for private development. Without such contributions, this servicing would not proceed or the full cost would have to be borne by the taxpayer. Income from development levies must be ring-fenced to pay for facilities servicing new development, for example, for roads, footpaths, public lighting and open spaces.

Development contributions are levied on the basis of a development contribution scheme approved by the elected members which sets out how contributions are to be applied in their respective functional areas. The level of contribution and the types of development to which development contributions should apply, is therefore determined at local authority level in accordance with the powers vested in elected members in this connection.

The type of development contribution scheme referred to in the Question relates to a supplementary development contribution scheme, drawn up under Section 49 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2014, which is designed to facilitate a particular public infrastructure service or project, in this case the Metro North, which was adopted by Dublin City Council in 2013. This scheme will run until 31 December 2015 unless extended by Council resolution and with the agreement of the National Transport Authority. The scheme runs concurrently to Dublin City Council’s Development Contribution Scheme 2013-2015.