Revealed: Offaly housing estates exempt from household charge

Residents in a total of 26 unfinished housing developments in Offaly will not have to pay the €100 household charge. The Government had said people living in some unfinished estates would be granted a waiver and therefore wouldn't be liable for the controversial tax when it was first announced. A list of estates qualifying for waivers was made public for the first time last Tuesday. The only Tullamore estate whose residents won't have to come up with the €100 household charge is Church Hill Demesne. A total of six unfinished estates in Edenderry have made the waiver list however, including Ard Na Carraige, Clonmeen Rise and Downshire Place. Two unfinished estates in US President Barack Obama's ancestral home town of Moneygall are featured on the list, as well as two apiece in Banagher, Birr, Cloghan and Kilcormac. Ferbane includes three unfinished estates whose residents won't have to cough up either, while a single estate in each of Geashill, Clara, Cloneygowan, Shinrone and Kinnitty is also included on the waiver list. Other types of properties which are not liable for the household charge include mobile homes; houses owned by Government departments or the HSE, premises owned by local authorities or voluntary housing bodies, properties in a discretionary trust and those owned by an approved charity. The Government expects the household charge to generate €160 million, which will be used to finance local authorities through the Local Government Fund. Offaly estates exempt from the €100 household charge An Corran, Crinkle An Cumeen, Banagher Ard Glas, Ferbane Ard Na Carraige, Edenderry Ballydown, Geashill Breachnagh, Cloghan Church Hill Demesne, Church Hill, Tullamore Clonmeen Rise, Edenderry Clonowan, Ballyboy Road, Kilcormac Cluain Abhainn, Tullamore Road, Clara Cluain Na Spideoga, Cloghan Cluan na Greine, Cloneygowan Cois Callow, Banagher Downshire Place, Edenderry Frankford, Kilcormac Glen Cuimin, Shinrone Lismooney Court, Kinnity MacGregal, Birr Mill Race, Ferbane Plan ref 04/1786 Gallen Demesne, Ferbane, Co Offaly Plan Ref 07/340 Rathcarn, Moneygall, Co Offaly Plan Ref BR1439 Hillside, Birr, Co Offaly Springfort, Moneygall Sycamore, Edenderry Tyrrels Brook, Edenderry Weavers Court, St Conleth's Rd, Edenderry