Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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29. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the value of the equalisation fund each year since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35549/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that Local Property Tax (LPT) represented on average just 6% of total local authority revenue income in 2023. In general terms, funding from Central Government to local authorities increased by 83% from €3.69 billion in 2018 to almost €6.73 billion in 2023.

There are variances across the country in terms of LPT levels but it is important that all local authorities receive at least a baseline level of funding to help ensure they can deliver adequate levels of service. For this reason, all authorities receive a minimum amount of funding from LPT that is at least equivalent to their baseline, and the baseline is therefore a significant benchmark affecting the level of funding available to each local authority for its ‘own use’. Two-thirds of local authorities need equalisation support to bring their income from LPT yield up to the baseline level.

Prior to 2023, 20% of each authority's yield went towards equalisation costs. The move to a new model of retention in 2023 allowed for 100% of the estimated yield to be retained locally in the area in which it is collected. From this point onwards, all equalisation support costs were to be met by the Exchequer via the Local Government Fund.

Equalisation costs for 2020 to 2025 were €135.1m, €133.5m, €133m, €118m, €149.1m and €143.8m, respectively.

Detailed information regarding the LPT allocations, including equalisation support provided, each year since 2020 is published by my Department at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/ea27d-local-property-tax-allocations/.