Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

We are looking at value for money. What we do not want is the benefit to go to out-of-town multiples that have free car parking, for example. That could undermine or reduce the income that might come to a local authority from a vibrant town centre. I question the methodology.

We often hear people saying it is almost a disadvantage to upgrade a premises. Presumably that is something the officials will examine. They say it is neutral when they do the revaluations and that people can look for a revaluation at an interim point. How does it impact on that neutrality if there are significant revaluations in the interim and if there is not buoyancy with new commercial properties?