Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady has called for a full and comprehensive report on unpaid Development Levies owed to the council, to be prepared and furnished at the November meeting of the Council.

The request follows answers that he received to questions he had tabled relating to unpaid Development Levey money which is owed to the council.

Figures which the Sinn Féin Councillor obtained show that over €5.44million is owed to the council and that 10 developers alone owe over €2.5million.

Speaking after the meeting Cllr John Brady said "While I was aware a substantial amount of Development Levy money was owed to the council I am certainly shocked at the figure the officials of the council gave me at the council meeting following a series of questions I had put forward on the issue.

The figures show the total outstanding since 1998 is a staggering €5.44m owed to the council in Development Levies for developments which took place in the Garden County".

Cllr Brady continued "The figures reveled at the meeting show that there are a total of 425 active files for unpaid levies, 300 relate to figures below €10,000 and 125 cases of €10,000 or more.

However the most shocking figure to be reveled shows that 10 developers owe the
council €250,000 or more, due to data protection the council was unable to name the developers".

Cllr Brady went on to say "These figures which I obtained from the council paint a very poor picture of the council and its relationship with big developers to ensure money they owe to paid in full and on time.

The discussion which took place at the council meeting on foot of the answers I obtained came on the same day cuts of €344,000 where pushed through the council by the majority of the Councillors and yet €5.44million is owed to the council.

Cllr Brady concluded "I have asked for a full report on the €5.44m to be given to the council, this report needs to outline clearly what actions are been taken to ensure this money is paid to the council.

I don't think its good enough for the County Manager to get up at every council meeting and read prepared statements criticizing people for non payment of the Household charge and threatening all sorts of action to ensure they pay €100 charge, yet however on the other hand the silence is deafening from him when it comes to monies owed to the council from large developers.

Never once has the County Manager ever mentioned the difficulties progressing any schemes because of the nonpayment of development levies by these developers.

This stinks of double standards and one rule for them and another for the ordinary
people of Wicklow.

I have been given assurances that this issue will be on the agenda for the meeting in November and I look forward to the full report on the matter".