Ms Ann Martyn:

I wish to refer to what Mr. Jennings said and the number of small businesses that close in small towns. My husband is involved in properties. Since the Celtic tiger, fledgling indigenous businesses such as a dry cleaners or a small hairdressing salon would open up in the town. They trade for eight, nine or ten months and build up their trade when suddenly they get the rates bill. They had been trying to pay the rent and keep the business open and they think that they will not be able to pay this bill too. However, they will struggle on and they might pay it for the first year. The business is not there though. It would be a good idea to incorporate in any new plan a breathing space for new fledgling businesses. What happens then is the business closes and the unit becomes available. Someone says they would like to open up a small business selling, for instance, children's toys, clothes, shoes, etc. They do the business plan and see the rates and wonder what was last there and why it closed. I know this personally. People come to me and tell me that they cannot pay the rates because they also have to pay their electricity bills, labour costs, etc. There has to be some sort of scope. We will only get small businesses back into small towns if we make them viable. The rental value of properties was mentioned. In my street, 75% of the units are empty but my shop was given a big increase in its valuation. We need to consider the possibility of having a breathing space for small new fledgling businesses.