7 March 2006

Environment

Local Government Financing

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the Government policy to which the revenue generating options identified by the Indecon report ran counter 

and asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the research commissioned or carried out by his Department into the use of site or land value tax

and asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the research commissioned or carried out by his Department into replacing or supplementing the system of commercial rates. 

Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche):
My Department has not commissioned specific research on the use of a site or land value tax or into means of replacing the commercial rates system. In 2004, my predecessor commissioned Indecon International Economic Consultants, in conjunction with the institute of local government studies at the University of Birmingham, to carry out a wide-ranging study on the financing of local government. The terms of reference for the study required that the consultants consider, inter alia, alternatives and options in relation to both income and expenditure focusing on their potential to ensure a sustainable financing system for local authorities over the medium to long term. While I will be engaging with a wide range of recommendations in the consultants’ report, I do not propose to implement its recommendations to introduce water charges and a tax on non-principal private residences as these options run counter to current Government policy.