Number 21 of 1983

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (FINANCIAL PROVISIONS) (NO. 2) ACT, 1983

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Number 21 of 1983

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (FINANCIAL PROVISIONS) (NO. 2) ACT, 1983

Interpretation.

1.—(1) In this Act—

“charge”, except where the context otherwise requires, includes fee;

“existing enactment” means an enactment which is in force on the commencement of this Act;

“service” means any service, facility, licence, permit, certificate, approval or other thing which a local authority may render, supply, grant, issue or otherwise provide in the performance or exercise of any of its functions, powers or duties to any person or in respect of any premises and includes the processing of an application for such a licence, permit, certificate or approval.

(2) References in this Act to the provision of a service shall be construed as including references to the rendering, the supply, the grant, the issue or the provision otherwise of the service and kindred words shall be construed accordingly.

(3) In this Act, a reference to any enactment is to that enactment as amended or extended by any other enactment including this Act.

Local authorities enabled to make certain charges.

2.—(1) Subject to section 4 of this Act, any existing enactment which requires or enables a local authority to provide a service but which, apart from this subsection, does not empower the authority to charge for the provision of the service shall be deemed so to empower that authority.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall have effect as regards an enactment notwithstanding the inclusion in the enactment of a provision which either precludes a local authority from charging for the provision of a service or requires that a service be provided by such an authority free of charge.

(3) Subject to section 4 of this Act, notwithstanding any provision in any existing enactment whereby there is specified—

(a) the amount of the charge which may be made by a local authority in respect of a service which the authority is required or enabled to provide, or

(b) an amount which a charge described in paragraph (a) of this subsection is not to exceed,

the local authority may make a charge which exceeds the amount so specified, and any charge made by virtue of this subsection shall for all purposes be deemed to have been duly made under the enactment.

Amount and payment of charges made by virtue of section 2.

3.—(1) A charge made by a local authority by virtue of section 2 of this Act shall be of such amount as the authority considers appropriate and shall be payable by and recoverable from the person for whom the service is provided, or, where the service is provided in respect of premises—

(a) in case the premises are not owned by a local authority and comprise more than one dwelling, the owner of the premises, and

(b) in any other case, the occupier of the premises,

and different such charges may be made by such an authority in respect of persons, premises or services of different classes or descriptions.

(2) In this section—

“dwelling” includes a part of any premises let as a separate dwelling, whether or not the person to whom it is let shares with any other person any accommodation, amenity or facility in connection therewith or any other portion of the premises;

“owner” means, in relation to a premises, a person, other than a mortgagee not in possession, who, whether in his own right or as trustee or agent for any other person, is entitled to receive the rack rent of the premises or, where the premises are not let at a rack rent, would be so entitled if they were so let.

Section 2 not to apply as regards certain services.

4.—(1) Section 2 of this Act shall not apply to any service which for the time being stands specified in an order made by the Minister under subsection (2) of this section.

(2) The Minister may for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section by order specify any service.

(3) The Minister may by order amend or revoke an order under this section (including an order under this subsection).

(4) Every order under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as conveniently may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the order is passed by either such House within the next twenty-one days on which that House has sat after the order is laid before it, the order shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.

Waiver of charges made by virtue of section 2.

5.—(1) A local authority may, if it is satisfied that it is appropriate so to do on grounds of personal hardship, waive all or portion of a charge made by it by virtue of section 2 of this Act.

(2) Where a charge (or portion thereof) is waived under subsection (1) of this section, the liability of a person to pay that charge (or portion thereof) and any obligation on the local authority by whom the waiver was made to collect the charge (or portion thereof) shall cease.

Further provisions relating to charges made by virtue of section 2.

6.—(1) An amount payable to a local authority on foot of a charge made by virtue of section 2 of this Act shall be payable either in advance or in such instalments payable on such dates as the authority shall determine, and, in default of being paid within two months of becoming payable, may be recovered by the authority as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(2) Where—

(a) a charge is made by a local authority by virtue of section 2 of this Act, and

(b) the charge relates to an application to the authority for the giving, grant or issue by it of an approval or a licence, permit, certificate or other document, and

(c) no amount or an amount which is less than the amount of the charge is received by the authority with the application,

then the period within which the application is either required to be or may be considered by the authority shall not commence until the amount of the charge is received by the authority, and in case, on the expiration of the period of two months commencing on the day on which the application is received by the authority, no amount, or an amount which is less than the amount of the charge, has been received by the authority, the application shall be regarded as having been withdrawn, and where an amount which is less than the amount of the charge has been received by the authority in relation to the application, that amount shall, as soon as may be, be refunded by the authority.

Set-off.

7.—Where a sum is due to a local authority by a person in respect of a charge made under any enactment, whether by virtue of section 2 of this Act or otherwise, and, at the same time, another sum is due by that authority to that person, the former sum may be set off against the latter either, as may be appropriate, in whole or in part.

Amendment of section 65A of Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878.

8.—Section 65A of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, inserted by section 7 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962, is hereby amended by—

(a) the substitution of the following subsections for subsection (1):

“(1) A sanitary authority may make charges for water supplied, whether within or outside their functional area, by them.

(1A) Notwithstanding any provision in any enactment which was in force on the commencement of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 1983, whereby there is specified—

(a) the amount of the charge which may be made by a sanitary authority for the supply by them (otherwise than to another sanitary authority) of a supply of water for domestic purposes, or

(b) an amount which a charge described in paragraph (a) of this subsection is not to exceed, the authority may make a charge which exceeds the amount so specified, and any charge made by virtue of this subsection shall for all purposes be deemed to have been duly made under the enactment.

(1B) Notwithstanding any provision of an agreement whereby there is specified—

(a) the amount of the charge which may be made by a sanitary authority for the supply by them (otherwise than to another sanitary authority) of a supply of water for domestic purposes, or

(b) an amount which a charge described in paragraph (a) of this subsection is not to exceed,

the authority may make a charge which exceeds the amount so specified, and any charge made by virtue of this subsection shall for all purposes be deemed to have been duly made under the agreement.”;

(b) the substitution of the following for subsection (3):

“(3) (a) A sanitary authority may, if it is satisfied that it is appropriate so to do on grounds of personal hardship, waive all or portion of a charge made by it under this section.

(b) Where a charge (or portion thereof) is waived under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the liability of a person to pay that charge (or portion thereof) and any obligation on the sanitary authority by whom the waiver was made to collect the charge (or portion thereof) shall cease.”; and

(c) the insertion in subsection (7) after “the 1st day of October” of “, or by such other instalments as the sanitary authority to whom the charge is payable shall determine,”;

and the said subsection (7), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(7) A charge under this section for water supplied otherwise than by measure shall be payable in advance by equal half-yearly instalments on the 1st day of April and the 1st day of October or by such other instalments as the sanitary authority to whom the charge is payable shall determine, and, in default of being paid within two months after becoming payable, shall be recoverable as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Amendment of section 9 of Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act, 1978.

9.—The Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act, 1978, is hereby amended by the substitution of the following section for section 9:

“Grants to rating authorities, etc.

9.—(1) The Minister shall in relation to a local financial year out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas make to a rating authority or a housing authority a grant not exceeding the aggregate of the allowances made by the authority under section 3, 4 or 6 of this Act in the local financial year.

(2) The Minister shall as regards each local financial year, as soon as may be, furnish to each rating authority an estimate of the grant which he proposes to make to the authority under subsection (1) of this section in relation to that local financial year, and in relation to the extent (if any) by which the aggregate referred to in the said subsection (1) exceeds the grant, as so estimated, the relevant estimate of expenses as regards that year, prepared and adopted under sections 9 and 10, respectively, of the Act of 1955, shall include, in such manner as the Minister shall direct, a provision in respect of such excess.

(3) Where, before the passing of this Act, in relation to the local financial year which commenced on the 1st day of January, 1982, or any subsequent local financial year, there was included in an estimate of expenses, within the meaning of the Act of 1955 and relating to that year, a provision similar to that required to be included in such an estimate by subsection (2) of this section, the inclusion shall have and shall be deemed always to have had all such validity and effect as it would have had if the said subsection (2), other than the provisions thereof enabling the Minister to give directions, had been in force at the time of its inclusion.

(4) In this section ‘the Act of 1955’ means the City and County Management (Amendment) Act, 1955.”.

Short title, collective citation and construction.

10.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 1983.

(2) The collective citation “the Local Government Acts, 1925 to 1983” shall include this Act.

(3) The Local Government Acts, 1925 to 1983, shall be construed as one Act.

Uimhir 21 de 1983

AN tACHT RIALTAIS ÁITIÚIL (FORÁLACHA AIRGEADAIS) (UIMH. 2), 1983

[An tiontú oifigiúil]

Léiriú.

1.—(1) San Acht seo—

folaíonn “muirear”, ach amháin mar a n-éilíonn an comhthéacs a mhalairt, táille;

ciallaíonn “achtachán láithreach” achtachán atá i bhfeidhm ag tosach feidhme an Achta seo;

ciallaíonn “seirbhís” aon seirbhís, saoráid, ceadúnas, cead, deimhniú, ceadú nó ní eile a fhéadfaidh údarás áitiúil a thabhairt, a sholáthar, a dheonú, a eisiúint, nó a chur ar fáil ar athrach dóigh ag comhlíonadh nó ag feidhmiú aon cheann dá fheidhmeanna, dá chumhachtaí nó dá dhualgais d'aon duine nó i leith aon áitribh agus folaíonn sí iarratas a shaothrú le haghaidh ceadúnas, cead, deimhniú nó ceadú den sórt sin.

(2) Déanfar tagairtí san Acht seo do sheirbhís a chur ar fáil a fhorléiriú mar thagairtí a fholaíonn tagairtí don tseirbhís a thabhairt, a sholáthar, a dheonú, a eisiúint nó a chur ar fáil ar athrach dóigh, agus forléireofar focail ghaolmhara dá réir sin.

(3) San Acht seo, aon tagairt a dhéantar d'aon achtachán is tagairt í don achtachán sin arna leasú nó arna leathnú le haon achtachán eile lena n-áirítear an tAcht seo.

Cumasaítear d'údaráis áitiúla muirir áirithe a ghearradh.

2.—(1) Faoi réir alt 4 den Acht seo, measfar, maidir le haon achtachán láithreach a cheanglaíonn ar údarás áitiúil nó a chumasaíonn dó seirbhís a chur ar fáil ach nach dtugann cumhacht don údarás, ar leith ón bhfo-alt seo, muirear a ghearradh i leith an tseirbhís a chur ar fáil, go dtugann sé an chumhacht sin amhlaidh don údarás sin.

(2) Beidh éifeacht le fo-alt (1) den alt seo maidir le hachtachán d'ainneoin foráil a bheith san achtachán a choisceann ar údarás áitiúil muirear a ghearradh i leith seirbhís a chur ar fáil nó a cheanglaíonn go gcuirfidh údarás den sórt sin seirbhís ar fáil saor ó mhuirear.

(3) Faoi réir alt 4 den Acht seo, agus d'ainneoin aon fhoráil in aon achtachán láithreach ina sonraítear—

(a) méid an mhuirir a fhéadfaidh údarás áitiúil a ghearradh i leith seirbhís a cheanglaítear ar an údarás nó a chumasaítear dó a chur ar fáil, nó

(b) méid nach ceadmhach muirear a thuairiscítear i mír (a) den fho-alt seo do dhul thairis,

féadfaidh an t-údarás áitiúil muirear a ghearradh is mó ná an méid a bheidh sonraithe amhlaidh agus measfar chun gach críche, maidir le haon mhuirear a gearradh de bhua an fho-ailt seo, gur muirear é a gearradh go cuí faoin achtachán.

Méid na muirear a ghearrfar de bhua alt 2 agus íoc na muirear sin.

3.—(1) Is é a bheidh i muirear a ghearrfaidh údarás áitiúil de bhua alt 2 den Acht seo cibé méid is iomchuí leis an údarás agus is é an duine a mbeidh sé iníoctha aige agus inghnóthaithe uaidh an duine ar cuireadh an tseirbhís ar fáil dó nó, más i leith áitribh a chuirfear an tseirbhís ar fáil—

(a) i gcás nach le húdarás áitiúil an t-áitreabh agus go mbeidh níos mó ná teaghais amháin ann, úinéir an áitribh, agus

(b) in aon chás eile, áititheoir an áitribh,

agus féadfaidh údarás den sórt sin muirir éagsúla den sórt sin a ghearradh i leith daoine, áitribh nó seirbhísí d'aicmí éagsúla nó de chineálacha éagsúla.

(2) San alt seo—

folaíonn “teaghais” cuid d'aon áitreabh atá ligthe mar theaghais ar leithligh cibé acu atá nó nach bhfuil an duine a bhfuil an chuid sin ligthe chuige i bpáirt le haon duine eile in aon chóiríocht, aosáid nó saoráid maidir leis an gcuid sin nó le haon chuid eile den áitreabh;

ciallaíonn “úinéir”, i ndáil le háitreabh, duine, seachas morgáistí nach bhfuil i seilbh ach atá i dteideal, as a cheart féin nó mar iontaobhaí nó mar ghníomhaire d'aon duine eile, cíos forlán an áitribh a fháil nó, i gcás nach mbeidh an t-áitreabh ligthe ar chíos forlán, a bheadh i dteideal amhlaidh dá mbeadh an t-áitreabh ligthe amhlaidh.

Gan feidhm a bheith ag alt 2 maidir le seirbhísí áirithe.

4.—(1) Ní bhainfidh alt 2 den Acht seo le haon seirbhís a bheidh sonraithe de thuras na huaire in ordú ón Aire faoi fho-alt (2) den alt seo.

(2) Féadfaidh an tAire chun críocha fho-alt (1) den alt seo aon seirbhís a shonrú le hordú.

(3) Féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, ordú faoin alt seo (lena n-áirítear ordú faoin bhfo-alt seo) a leasú nó a chúlghairm.

(4) Gach ordú faoin alt seo leagfar é faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is féidir tar éis a dhéanta agus, má dhéanann ceachtar Teach acu sin laistigh den lá is fiche a shuífidh an Teach sin tar éis an t-ordú a leagan faoina bhráid rún a rith ag neamhniú an ordaithe, beidh an t-ordú ar neamhní dá réir sin ach sin gan dochar do bhailíocht aon ní a rinneadh roimhe sin faoin ordú

Muirir a gearradh de bhua alt 2 a tharscaoileadh.

5.—(1) Féadfaidh údarás áitiúil, más deimhin leis gur cuí sin a dhéanamh ar fhoras cruatain phearsanta, muirear a ghearr sé de bhua alt 2 den Acht seo, nó cuid de mhuirear den sórt sin, a tharscaoileadh.

(2) Má tharscaoiltear muirear (nó cuid de mhuirear) faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo, scoirfidh an dliteanas a bheidh ar dhuine an muirear sin (nó an chuid sin de mhuirear) a íoc agus aon oibleagáid a bheidh ar an údarás áitiúil a rinne an tarscaoileadh an muirear sin (nó an chuid sin de mhuirear) a bhailiú.

Tuilleadh forálacha i ndáil le muirir a gearradh de bhua alt 2.

6.—(1) Beidh méid is iníoctha le húdarás áitiúil ar scór muirear a gearradh de bhua alt 2 den Acht seo iníoctha roimh ré nó i cibé tráthchodanna a bheidh le híoc ar cibé dátaí a chinnfidh an t-údarás, agus, mura mbeidh sé íoctha laistigh de dhá mhí ón am ar iníoctha é, féadfaidh an t-údarás é a ghnóthú mar fhiach conartha shimplí in aon chúirt dlínse inniúla.

(2) I gcás—

(a) muirear a bheith gearrtha ag údarás áitiúil de bhua alt 2 den Acht seo, agus

(b) go mbaineann an muirear le hiarratas chun an údaráis chun ceadú nó ceadúnas, cead, deimhniú nó doiciméad eile a thabhairt, a dheonú nó a eisiúint ag an údarás, agus

(c) nach mbeidh aon mhéid, nó go mbeidh méid is lú ná méid an mhuirir, faighte ag an údarás leis an iarratas,

ansin ní thosóidh an tréimhse a bhfuil sé de cheangal ar an údarás, nó a bhféadfaidh an t-údarás, an t-iarratas a bhreithniú lena linn go dtí go mbeidh méid an mhuirir faighte ag an údarás, agus, más rud é, ar bheith caite don tréimhse dhá mhí dar tosach an lá a bhfaighidh an t-údarás an t-iarratas, nach mbeidh aon mhéid, nó go mbeidh méid is lú ná méid an mhuirir, faighte ag an údarás, measfar an t-iarratas a bheith tarraingthe siar, agus má bhíonn méid is lú ná méid an mhuirir faighte ag an údarás i ndáil leis an iarratas, aisíocfaidh an t-údarás an méid sin a luaithe is féidir.

Fritháireamh.

7.—Má bhíonn suim dlite do údarás áitiúil de dhuine i leith muirear a gearradh faoi aon achtachán, cibé acu is de bhua alt 2 den Acht seo nó ar athrach dóigh é, agus go ndlífidh an t-údarás sin suim eile, an tráth céanna, don duine sin, féadfar an tsuim tosaigh sin a fhritháireamh in aghaidh na suime deiridh sin, go hiomlán nó go páirteach, de réir mar is iomchuí,

Leasú ar alt 65A den Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878.

8.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 65A den Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, a cuireadh isteach le halt 7 den Acht Rialtais Áitiúil (Seirbhísí Sláintíochta), 1962—

(a) trí na fo-ailt seo a leanas a chur in ionad fho-alt (1):

“(1) A sanitary authority may make charges for water supplied, whether within or outside their functional area, by them.

(1A) Notwithstanding any provision in any enactment which was in force on the commencement of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 1983, whereby there is specified—

(a) the amount of the charge which may be made by a sanitary authority for the supply by them (otherwise than to another sanitary authority) of a supply of water for domestic purposes, or

(b) an amount which a charge described in paragraph (a) of this subsection is not to exceed,

the authority may make a charge which exceeds the amount so specified, and any charge made by virtue of this subsection shall for all purposes be deemed to have been duly made under the enactment.

(1B) Notwithstanding any provision of an agreement whereby there is specified—

(a) the amount of the charge which may be made by a sanitary authority for the supply by them (otherwise than to another sanitary authority) of a supply of water for domestic purposes, or

(b) an amount which a charge described in paragraph (a) of this subsection is not to exceed,

the authority may make a charge which exceeds the amount so specified, and any charge made by virtue of this subsection shall for all purposes be deemed to have been duly made under the agreement.”;

(b) tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur in ionad fho-alt (3):

“(3)  (a) A sanitary authority may, if it is satisfied that it is appropriate so to do on grounds of personal hardship, waive all or portion of a charge made by it under this section.

(b) Where a charge (or portion thereof) is waived under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the liability of a person to pay that charge (or portion thereof) and any obligation on the sanitary authority by whom the waiver was made to collect the charge (or portion thereof) shall cease.”; agus

(c) trí “, or by such other instalments as the sanitary authority to whom the charge is payable shall determine,” a chur isteach i bhfo-alt (7) i ndiaidh “the 1st day of October”;

agus tá an fo-alt sin (7), arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an alt seo.

Leasú ar alt 9 den Acht Rialtais Áitiúil (Forálacha Airgeadais), 1978.

9.—Leasaítear leis seo an tAcht Rialtais Áitiúil (Forálacha Airgeadais), 1978, tríd an alt seo a leanas a chur in ionad alt 9:

Gearrtheideal, comhlua agus forléiriú.

10.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht Rialtais Áitiúil (Forálacha Airgeadais) (Uimh. 2), 1983, a ghairm den Acht seo.

(2) Folóidh an comhlua “na hAchtanna Rialtais Áitiúil, 1925 go 1983” an tAcht seo.

(3) Forléireofar na hAchtanna Rialtais Áitiúil, 1925 go 1983, mar aon Acht amháin.