Government not enforcing granny flat guidelines

THE Government is not enforcing set guidelines on how a controversial 2km exemption for so-called “granny flats” from the new €200 charge on second properties is being applied.

Instead Minister for Environment John Gormley has stated that the strict implementation of the charge is a matter for each local authority area.

Labour party local government spokesman Ciarán Lynch said the failure to implement a uniform policy on the charge “was unjustifiable” and not in the spirit of the legislation which should focus on property usage rather than location.