Louth councillor welcomes development levy waiver extension

Dundalk-Carlingford's Cllr Andrea McKevitt has welcomed news that the development levy waiver is to be extended to the end of this year. 

The development levy waiver covers the full cost of the development contribution levy due from the developer of a housing development or a one off house, under the development contribution scheme operated by the local authority. The scheme applies to all permitted residential development including multi-unit developments, self-build houses and one-off rural houses, student  accommodation and sheltered housing.

Under the waiver scheme, instead of developers having to pay the relevant development contributions to the local

authority in the normal manner, which is usually on commencement of construction or in accordance with an agreed phased payment plan with the local authority, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage pays the relevant charges due to the local authority on behalf of the person liable for the contribution.

At the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis last weekend, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien announced an extension to the development levy waiver, which will now be extended to the end of this year. 

"This extension of course is very much welcomed", said Fianna Fáil Cllr Andrea McKevitt, representing the Cooley peninsula, and who was in attendance at the party’s Ard Fheis.

Cllr McKevitt said, "I am delighted that this extension has been afforded to the people of the country, but particularly welcome this in the Dundalk-Carlingford constituency where this levy is adding up to €20,000 to home builders costs, of course in an ideal world these levies would be waived forever however we will take this small gain for now in order to relieve this added financial burden on people attempting to get on the property ladder.''