Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, but finally on the matter of the rates, I would like to think that I am speaking on behalf of many people the length and breadth of the country. I really think that reviewing the rateable valuation of businesses at a time like this is not good. A person could then argue and ask what a good time for this would be. It is never a good time. However, everybody knows that small businesses in particular are now struggling. A combination of a number of factors leads me to believe that the Government should take a longer, more intelligent view of this issue. It should say that it would be better to collect a smaller rate from a business now, rather than this being the straw that breaks the camel's back, shutting the business and indeed getting no more rates from it ever again. Any business where the door is open and the light is on is worth something to someone, somewhere, somehow. However, when a door is closed and a business closes, it is extremely difficult to get it back up and running again, whether that is under new management or under the same management. It is easier to keep plodding away, but it is a momentous occasion when one shuts a door. When one tries to get it open again, to comply with all the regulations and everything again and to start off anew in six months, a year, two years or five years down the line, to be blunt about it, it very rarely happens successfully.

Under the Cathaoirleach's excellent stewardship of this committee, I think we should be saying this somewhere. I am not saying this in an argumentative or knocking way of the Government or any nonsense like that. I would go to whoever is in power or leading the country at the moment to tell them, in the most plausible possible way, that they should be doing something to help at this point in time. I am sure the members of this committee would share my views, in particular on the ratable valuation issue. It is just too much, too fast at this time and it is unbearable.