Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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218. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if levies collected in advance of the previous metro north proposal will have to be now refunded; the basis for this; and the amounts involved, by local authority. [35152/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Development contributions applied by local authorities 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 respect of developments 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 development contribution levies referred to in the Question relate to two supplementary development contribution schemes adopted by Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council in 2007, which were subsequently revised in 2013, under section 49 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, and which were designed to facilitate a particular public infrastructure project, the Metro North project, which it was proposed would traverse the functional areas of the local authorities concerned. The schemes expire on 31 December 2015 although both local authorities have ceased levying charges in respect of this project.

While the adoption and administration of supplementary development contribution schemes is a matter for the relevant local authority and I have no function in this regard, the two local authorities concerned have advised that they intend to refund levies collected under these schemes when revised proposals, currently being developed, in respect of the Metro North project are finalised. Further enquiries in relation to this matter may be made directly to the local authorities concerned.