Friday, April 27, 2012

Archbishop 'has paid household tax' despite exemption

THE Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has waded into the household charge controversy to deny claims he is avoiding paying the tax.

In a statement, the archdiocese said Dr Martin had paid the €100 charge on his residence, Archbishop's House in Drumcondra, and had ordered priests throughout the city and county to do likewise.

This is despite church properties being exempt from the charge due to their charitable status.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Catholic Church said dioceses around the country were also paying the €100 charge.

He said that while other bishops had not followed Dr Martin's lead by instructing parishes to pay the charge, they were paying it any event.

The Catholic Church is one of the biggest property owners in the country and controls several thousand parish houses along with schools, halls and other premises.

Clarification

However, the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 allows certain charities, as well as local authority houses and houses on some unfinished housing estates, to be exempt from paying the tax.

A spokesman for the church said a committee of the Irish Bishops' Conference had sought clarification on the household charge; however, to date, it had not received an official reply.

In the meantime, dioceses are paying the charge in respect of parish houses in their areas.

"To date, charities who have obtained a CHY number (charity number) are exempt from the payment of taxes. Church property in the majority of Irish dioceses is held in a Diocesan Trust, has a CHY number and is regarded as a charity," he said.

"Where it is held under another structure, the title holders clearly hold the property in trust for the diocese and the property has the same status. All church property, therefore, is the property of parishes and dioceses, not of the individuals who live in them. As such they have a CHY number and are exempt from tax," he added.

A statement from the Dublin Archdiocese, released following weekend news reports, said Dr Martin had paid the charge.

"All Dublin parishes were instructed by the Diocesan Finance Office to pay the household charge in respect of parish houses. It is not clear at this point, on the basis of advice received, what church property may be exempt from the household charge in future," it added.