Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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462. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of proposals to increase the powers of local authorities to collect commercial rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41103/16]

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 pursuant to the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.

Commercial rates form an important element of the funding of all local authorities. However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century. I have asked my Department to develop proposals for the preparation of a consolidated Rates Bill to modernise and consolidate the legislation in this area. I hope to bring proposals in this area to Government shortly.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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463. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of unpaid commercial rates for each local authority for 2015 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41104/16]

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 Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.

Rates income data are published by local authorities in their Annual Financial Statements, which are published as a matter of course on local authority websites. The Annual Financial Statements for 2015 are currently being finalised. Data prepared by the local authority sector for the Debt Management Implementation Project Final Report, published by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in October 2016, show that the aggregate collection of commercial rates for all local authorities in 2015 amounted to €1.345 billion, which was 80% of the total amount charged by local authorities in that year (including arrears brought forward). A copy of this report is available at the link:

A breakdown by local authority of the collection levels is not available in my Department.