Household charge waiver exclusion sparks anger

RESIDENTS in a Northside development are up in arms
about having to pay the controversial

?¬100 household charge, which has been
waived for others in many other unfinished housing estates across Dublin.

Building works to complete some areas of Clongriffin
ground to a halt with the collapse of the construction industry, leaving
unfinished sites across the area. Parts of the estate were also affected by the
presence of pyrite.

Some parts of Clongriffin, such as Station Point on
the main street, certain blocks in Belmayne and Marrsfield in Clongriffin are
included on Fingal County Council’s household charge exemption list.

However, many other areas are excluded and this has
sparked anger amongst puzzled residents.

“We’re already paying between

?¬200 and

?¬1,700
management fees for the upkeep of the estate,

? one of the affected residents,
Dara Bineid, told Northside People.

“I have absolutely no intention of paying the
additional household charge when it is effectively a double tax and we don’t
even get the full range of services that we were promised when we moved here.

“It’s scandalous, especially when we’re living in what
is half a building site.

“We’re in a catch 22 situation where the council won’t
take our estate over because it’s unfinished and the developer can’t finish the
estate for one reason or another.

?

Dublin North East TD Tommy Broughan (Lab) said it’s
very disappointing that the Minister for the Environment has

“failed to
recognise the serious challenges still facing Clongriffin

?.

“Apart from the unfinished nature of most of the
estate, some Clongriffin residents have also had to cope with remediation of
homes affected by pyrite infill,

? he stated.

“A number of residents believe it is unfair that
Clongriffin is not exempt given that they are trying to get their homes fully
remediated and their estate completed.

?

Residents from almost 60 estates in the catchment
areas of Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council will have their
household charge waived due to their unfinished status.

Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council have 19
and 38 unfinished estates respectively.

These estates are in a situation where a receiver has
not been appointed and the developer is still in place but is effectively inactive
and/or the development has been effectively abandoned.

Residents in these estates, which are listed on the
householdcharge.ie website, will not have to pay the controversial e100
household charge.

These estates were identified by a national survey of
unfinished housing developments carried out in 2011.

However, while householders in estates listed as
unfinished are eligible for a waiver, they must still complete the household
charge registration form.

It’s one less financial burden for property owners in
Priory Hall which is listed among those eligible for the waiver.

Estates in Balbriggan and Rush are among the list of
38 unfinished estates on Fingal County Council’s list.