CONCERNS have been expressed over the amount of money owed to Fingal County Council from developer levies.
However, the council insists that it is committed to ensuring that all levies it is due are paid.
Cllr Paul Mulville (SD) said he welcomed clarity from the council’s planning department in relation to development levy arrears owed to the council by developers.
“Recent reports in the media had laid out the position that €62,636,222 in development levies were owed to the council by developers,” he said.
“This is the amount of planning development contribution levies which remain outstanding and owed to the council by developers.
“I took this matter up with council management, given the very high figure involved, and have now received some clarification from the planning department.
“I have been informed that the headline figure of €62,636,222 does not reflect the amount of levies actually in arrears.
“It has been stated by the planning department that this is because the council invoices for 100 percent of the levies due on commencement of a project, and that in general a phasing of payments is agreed with the applicant.”
Cllr Mulville was informed that there are 181 accounts, representing arrears of approximately €5.25 million where legal proceedings have been initiated.
“I remain very concerned about the amount of money owed to the council,” said Cllr Mulville.
“ The residents and traders of Fingal who pay their local property tax and commercial rates deserve to be told the full facts on this.
“I am repeating my call for council management to make public the names of the developers who owe this money, the amount each developer owes, the number of years each amount is outstanding, and the steps in each case the council has taken to collect these unpaid development levies, with interest.”
A spokesperson for the council told Northside People: “Fingal County Council is committed to ensuring that all levies due are paid to the council. The robust collections process includes agreeing phased payments where appropriate and initiating legal action where phasing cannot be agreed. “There are in the order of 180 accounts at various stages of the legal process where the council seeks to obtain a judgement order to secure the debt.”