Council owed €2.4m in development levies

Westmeath County Council is owed almost €2.4m in development levies, but its position is better than that of its neighbouring counties, Longford and Offaly, all three of which are, however, in clover compared to the situation in Meath and Roscommon.

Figures released in Dáil Éireann last week on foot of a query by Wicklow TD Simon Harris on the amounts outstanding in development levies to local authorities, showed that Westmeath’s total comes to €2,366,561, made up of €111,893 in long-term development levies, and €2,254,668 in current levies due this year.

Longford is owed a total of €3.385; Offaly is owed €3.225m; while Meath is down €21.615m, and Roscommon County Council is owed €15.013m.

Responding to Deputy Harris’s question, the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan, said that as with all local charges, the invoicing and collection of any outstanding development contributions is a matter for the local authority concerned to manage in the light of prevailing circumstances and in accordance with normal financial procedures.

“Where any payments required in respect of development contributions are not settled, such payments may be pursued by the planning authority through the courts as a contract debt and until such time as amounts outstanding are discharged in full the conditions of the relevant planning permission have not been met and the development is unauthorised,” the minister said.