Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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209. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the rates due and paid by Irish Water in each local authority since its inception, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18331/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Section 12 of the Water Services Act 2014 states that public water services property is not rateable for the purposes of the Valuation Act 2001. This exemption applies to Irish Water for the provision of water supply and waste water treatment. Government subvention is not paid directly to Irish Water to fund this cost; instead, it is redirected to provide equivalent funding directly to local authorities, through the Local Government Fund, in respect of rates income foregone.

A breakdown of the amounts paid to local authorities in respect of Irish Water's infrastructure in 2014, 2015 and 2016 is set out in the table. It would be expected that similar amounts would be provided to local authorities in 2017, subject to the normal budgetary process.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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210. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if Irish Water will be assessed as rateable or exempt from rates for 2017, in all relevant local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18332/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes, in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. Those Acts determine properties that can, and cannot, be considered for rating purposes. The Commissioner for Valuation has responsibility for all valuation matters, including determination under those Acts of relevant property for the purposes of rates.

Under Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001, as amended, the entire network used for the provision of water services by Irish Water is exempt from the payment of commercial rates.

The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 come under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality.